Thanksgiving 2021 is approaching quickly and we’ve got all your pressing questions answered. Well, maybe not pressing questions but a few fun facts that you might use to impress your family or use in your marketing efforts prior to the big day!
Things You May Not Know About Thanksgiving
When is Thanksgiving celebrated?
Let’s start with the basics. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 25th (that’s in two weeks, by the way). In the United States, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month.
How did Thanksgiving become a National Holiday?
Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who wrote “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” famously campaigned for the creation of making Thanksgiving a National Holiday after writing letters to Abraham Lincoln for about 17 years. Mr. Lincoln finally proclaimed Thanksgiving a National Holiday on October 3, 1863. Without Sarah Hale, Thanksgiving may have never become a National Holiday and now, Sarah is our favorite.
How many calories does one typically consume on Turkey Day?
This one is a bit convicting! According to the Calorie Control Council, Americans consume a little over 3,000 calories and 150 grams of fat in a Thanksgiving meal. With the endless varieties of potluck-style foods in front of you, you have to try a little of everything, right? Hint hint, marketers! Are you providing recipes and cooking inspiration to highlight your products for shoppers this season?
How did football on Thanksgiving come about?
Where are our sports fans? The tradition of football on Thanksgiving began in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton. The first NFL games were played on Thanksgiving in 1920. There’s just something about eating stuffing, watching your favorite teams, and screaming at the refs on the TV on Thanksgiving day… now that’s a touchdown in our book!
How long did the first Thanksgiving last?
We may not know the specifics without buying a new time machine, but we do know that that the first colonists knew how to party. The first colonists at Plymouth used the term “Thanksgiving” to describe their THREE-DAY feasting celebration. I don’t know about you, but we want a 3-day Thanksgiving holiday. Someone needs to campaign for this like Sarah Hale. During this 3-day feast, they ate things like venison, swan, duck, and goose. Excuse me, will you pass the turkey?
How to cook a Turkey?
Step 1: Buy a turkey (get it early this year or you may be feasting on frozen pizza instead).
Step 2: Brine your turkey by sprinkling it liberally with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasoning.
Step 3: Preheat your oven to 450 F.
Step 4: Rinse your turkey inside and out, pat dry, and season again with salt and pepper. Secure the wing tips under the breast and tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
Step 5: Place your turkey on a roasting pan and put it in the oven cooking uncovered for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes, watching carefully. Using a food thermometer, look for 180 F in the thigh & 170 F in the breast and remove from the oven. Note, the meat will continue to cook as it rests.
Step 6: Tilt turkey to rid of excess juices and add turkey to platter/ let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 7: Carve and serve.
What else can we share about Thanksgiving to help you get ready to serve your target audiences better and smarter? Contact us and let us know. We love a good brainstorm and we love turkey. Did we mention that?
{{cta(’78d3fee5-7e8f-4f2a-b7d6-64eb5db8389f’,’justifycenter’)}}
