10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a heartwarming holiday where you get time together with family, to enjoy a wonderful meal, and to take time to appreciate all of the good things life has to offer. But that’s not everything.

Thanksgiving – Thursday, November 27

Here are some interesting facts about the Thanksgiving holiday.

. The pilgrims didn’t even eat turkey!

When they sat down that day, they were likely enjoying things like deer and fish. A woman named Sarah Hale, who can be credited with convincing President Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, published a variety of recipes to serve on Thanksgiving, including turkey, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce. None of these things would have been on that first table.

. Farmers breed turkeys to match people’s tastes.

White meat is, by far, the most popular meat on a turkey. They have been bred through many generations to have massive breast areas, where the white meat is located. Because of this, farmed turkeys can no longer mate in a traditional way because their chests are to cumbersome.

. Black Friday isn’t just busy for department stores.

The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers. The increased number of people in a household causes an increase in bathroom usage. Often, it overwhelms the plumbing system.

. Tryptophan, a chemical in turkey meat, it often blamed for the feeling of tiredness many experience after Thanksgiving dinner.

However, there isn’t enough in a serving of turkey to cause drowsiness. The tired feeling is more likely caused by an increased intake of carbohydrates.

. Thanksgiving is the most traveled holiday.

In fact, more than half of all Americans will travel more than 100 miles to have a meal with their loved ones.

. The first Thanksgiving dinner consisted of 50 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans from the Wampanoag.

In the entire group, only five were female. This is because many of the women didn’t survive the first year of settlement. The celebration lasted three days.

. Twenty percent of the year’s turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving, which is about 248 million in total.

. Swanson invented the TV Dinner because the company had an excess of frozen turkey after the holiday.

They decided to package the turkey, along with a few sides, in a tray similar to those found on planes, and they sold them in the freezer section of grocery stores.

. The evening before Thanksgiving is the busiest night for bars across the country.

It’s believed that, since many are coming home, they take the opportunity to reunite with old friends, and bars are a great meeting place. Plus, the next day is full of comfort food, which is sure to cure even the meanest of hangovers.