Thanksgiving
fun facts
Tips and trivia for travel,
shopping, food and football
GETTING THERE
TRAVEL
More than 53 million travelers are making plans for a trip of 50 miles or more away from home this Thanksgiving,
a 13%
increase
over 2020.
BRIGHT & EARLY
TURKEY TROT
Beginning your day with a run? The inaugural trot took place in 1896 in Buffalo, New York. The 8K cross-country race, hosted by the local YMCA that Thanksgiving Day, drew just six participants, and only four of them made it to the finish line. The winner, Henry A. Allison, crossed the line in 31 minutes
and 12 seconds, averaging a
six-minute-per-mile pace.
SOURCE: AAA
SOURCE: Runners World
SOURCE: National Turkey Federation and Instacart survey conducted by The Harris Poll
THE BIG MEAL
TRADITION
▶ 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving.
▶ The average weight of purchased turkey is 15 pounds.
▶ 68% of Americans secretly dislike a classic Thanksgiving food but eat it anyway because of tradition.
Most disliked traditional dishes, according to a 2019 Instacart survey:
KITCHEN CLEANUP
DRAIN TIPS
The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for Roto-Rooter, with a 50% increase in calls for kitchen jobs over a regular Friday.
Most of the clogs occur on Thanksgiving but homeowners dread the thought of calling a plumber
on a holiday.
Don’t put fibrous or stringy wastes (peelings, celery) into the garbage disposal. Turkey skins are the worst.
Don’t pour fats or cooking oils down drains. They solidify in pipes and choke drains.
SOURCE: Roto-Rooter
READY FOR FOOTBALL?
TIME FOR TV
Classic NFL Thanksgiving games were started in 1920. The Detroit Lions have hosted Thanksgiving Day games since 1934 and the Dallas Cowboys have had the tradition since 1966. In 2006, a third game was addded. It was postponed in 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Millions of tv viewers of football games:
SOURCE: sportsmediawatch.com and Pro Football Hall of Fame
SHOPPING SPREE
RETAIL
In 2020, from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, more than 186 million Americans shopped either in stores or online, down from 189 million in 2019.
The average shopper spent $312 on gifts and other holiday items over the five-day period, down from $362 during the same period last year. Of the total, $224 or 72% was specifically spent on gifts.
SOURCE: National Retail Federation
90.4%
Auto
48.3 million
7.8%
Air
4.2 million
1.8%
Other
1.0 million
Canned cranberry sauce
Green bean casserole
Sweet potatoes/casserole
Pumpkin pie
29%
24%
22%
21%
19%
Turkey
Where shopping occured:
Amount spent:
$400
300
200
100
0
COWBOYS
LIONS
OTHERS
26%
22%
40%
27%
35%
51%
In-store only
Online only
Both
’19
’20
’19
’20
’19
’20
2017
2018
2019
2020
2017
2018
2019
2020
2016
40
30
20
10
0
30M
23M
21M
$224 gifts
$312 total
How fast was the Mayflower?
20mph
10mph
100mph
2mph
The Mayflower averaged only two miles per hour (1.7 knots) during its historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
CORRECT!
The Mayflower averaged only two miles per hour (1.7 knots) during its historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.
WRONG!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
6,000
4,500
1,500
3,000
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
According to the Calorie Control Council, the average Thanksgiving dinner contains 4,500 calories — that’s 3,000 for the meal itself and another 1,500 for drinks, desserts and appetizers.
CORRECT!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
WRONG!
How many calories are there in the average Thanksgiving dinner?
According to the Calorie Control Council, the average Thanksgiving dinner contains 4,500 calories — that’s 3,000 for the meal itself and another 1,500 for drinks, desserts and appetizers.
Chicken
Ice cream
Peanut butter and jelly
Pizza
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
Each plate setting includes an ice cream sundae in a large sundae bowl. Snoopy serves up the food, throwing the plates to each guest Frisbee-style. Each guest also gets buttered toast, a handful of pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans.
CORRECT!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
WRONG!
In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, what does Charlie Brown serve to his friends for Thanksgiving dinner?
Each plate setting includes an ice cream sundae in a large sundae bowl. Snoopy serves up the food, throwing the plates to each guest Frisbee-style. Each guest also gets buttered toast, a handful of pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans.
Chandler
Ross
Phoebe
Joey
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
In “The One with All the Thanksgivings”, the main characters tell stories about their worst Thanksgivings: Chandler learning of his parents’ divorce, Phoebe losing arms in past lives, and Joey getting his head stuck in a turkey.
CORRECT!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
WRONG!
Which character on the TV show Friends once got his/her head stuck in a turkey?
In “The One with All the Thanksgivings”, the main characters tell stories about their worst Thanksgivings: Chandler learning of his parents’ divorce, Phoebe losing arms in past lives, and Joey getting his head stuck in a turkey.
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit
Lions
Cleveland Browns
New England Patriots
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
While watching the Thanksgiving football game, Homer says he is cheering for the Dallas Cowboys. Two of the fictional Dallas Cowboys players are named Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky after two writers on the show.
CORRECT!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
WRONG!
In The Simpsons episode “Bart vs. Thanksgiving”, what football team is Homer cheering for?
While watching the Thanksgiving football game, Homer says he is cheering for the Dallas Cowboys. Two of the fictional Dallas Cowboys players are named Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky after two writers on the show.
Macy’s
J.C. Penney
Gimbels
Steiger’s
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
CORRECT!
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
The Gimbels Parade, now known as the 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade, was first held in Philadelphia in 1920.
WRONG!
What was the first
department store to hold
a Thanksgiving parade?
The Gimbels Parade, now known as the 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade, was first held in Philadelphia in 1920.
▶ 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving.
▶ The average weight of purchased turkey is 15 pounds.
▶ 68% of Americans secretly dislike a classic Thanksgiving food but eat it anyway because of tradition.
▶ 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving.
▶ The average weight of purchased turkey is 15 pounds.
▶ 68% of Americans secretly dislike a classic Thanksgiving food but eat it anyway because of tradition.
RETAIL: In 2018, from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, more than 165 million Americans shopped either in stores or online, down from 175 million in 2017.
The average shopper spent $313 on gifts and other holiday items over the five-day period, down from $335 during the same period last year. Of the total, $217 or 69% was specifically spent on gifts.
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
According to the Calorie Control Council, the average Thanksgiving dinner contains 4,500 calories — that’s 3,000 for the meal itself and another 1,500 for drinks, desserts and appetizers.
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
Each plate setting includes an ice cream sundae in a large sundae bowl. Snoopy serves up the food, throwing the plates to each guest Frisbee-style. Each guest also gets buttered toast, a handful of pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans.
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
In “The One with All the Thanksgivings”, the main characters tell stories about their worst Thanksgivings: Chandler learning of his parents’ divorce, Phoebe losing arms in past lives, and Joey getting his head stuck in a turkey.
SOURCE: Useful Trivia
While watching the Thanksgiving football game, Homer says he is cheering for the Dallas Cowboys. Two of the fictional Dallas Cowboys players are named Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky after two writers on the show.
The Gimbels Parade, now known as the 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade, was first held in Philadelphia in 1920.
SOURCE: Useful Trivia