--- title: Thanksgiving History And Fun Facts description: For many, Thanksgiving is a time for great food, family and relaxation. We’ve decided to take a little break from our typical topics surrounding B2B marketing and have gathered these fun facts about Thanksgiving. Thanks for reading the Winn Demand Blog! image: https://blog.winntech.net/hubfs/happy-1060140_640%20(1).jpg --- [**](https://www.facebook.com/winntechnology/)[**](https://twitter.com/winntechnology)[**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/winn-technology-group) ** [800-444-5622](tel:1-800-444-5622) [![Winn-Logo-Digital-2017.png](https://blog.winntech.net/hs-fs/hubfs/Winn-Logo-Digital-2017.png?width=215&name=Winn-Logo-Digital-2017.png "Winn-Logo-Digital-2017.png")](https://www.winntech.net) - [Home](https://248984-hs-sites-com.sandbox.hs-sites.com/demand-generation-and-creation-marketing) - Services - [Demand Creation](https://www.winntech.net/demand-creation-solutions) - [Account-Based Marketing](https://www.winntech.net/account-based-marketing) - [Inbound Marketing](https://www.winntech.net/inbound-marketing) - [Lead Nurturing](https://www.winntech.net/lead-nurturing) - [Channel Marketing](https://www.winntech.net/channel-marketing) - [Event Marketing](https://www.winntech.net/event-marketing) - [Database Marketing](https://www.winntech.net/database-marketing) - [Inbound Response](https://www.winntech.net/inbound-reponse) - [Core Verticals](https://www.winntech.net/marketing-services-it-financial-healthcare) - [Demand Center](https://www.winntech.net/demand-center-automation-channel-direct-sales) - [About](https://www.winntech.net/about-winn-technology-group) - [News](https://blog.winntech.net/news) - [Leadership Team](https://www.winntech.net/leadership-team) - [Community Commitment](https://www.winntech.net/community-commitment) - [Partners](https://www.winntech.net/partners) - [Careers](https://www.winntech.net/careers) - [Resources](https://www.winntech.net/demand-generation-resources) - [Contact](https://www.winntech.net/contact-winn-technology-group) - [Blog](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog) [![GET A QUOTE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/248984/70155082-2382-47ea-be63-11fb663c6f10.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/248984/70155082-2382-47ea-be63-11fb663c6f10) # Demand Generation Blog ### Never miss an update! Subscribe to our blog. # Thanksgiving History And Fun Facts Posted by [Michael Auer](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/author/michael-auer) on Nov 21, 2018 11:34:21 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Thanksgiving History And Fun Facts](https://blog.winntech.net/hs-fs/hubfs/happy-1060140_640%20(1).jpg?width=737&name=happy-1060140_640%20(1).jpg)For many, Thanksgiving is a time for great food, family and relaxation.  We’ve decided to take a little break from our typical topics surrounding B2B marketing and have gathered these fun facts about Thanksgiving.  Thanks for reading the Winn Demand Blog! “The first Thanksgiving was held in the autumn of 1621 and included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians and lasted three days. Many historians believe that only five women were present at that first Thanksgiving, as many women settlers didn't survive that difficult first year in the U.S.” – [All Parenting](http://allparenting.com/my-life/articles/969379/20-thanksgiving-fun-facts-to-teach-kids) “Thanksgiving became a national, US holiday 200 years later, by President Lincon in 1863. The campaign to make it a national holiday by sending letters lasted for 17 long years. Credit goes to Sarah Josepha Hale, the lady, who also wrote the popular song “Mary had a Little Lamb”.” – [The Holiday Spot](https://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/trivia.htm) “Today, Thanksgiving is one day — maybe two if you count Black Friday. But apparently the Pilgrims wanted to party even harder. Governor William Bradford organized the feast, inviting the Plymouth colonists' Native American allies. But it was only until the Wampanoag guests came and joined the Pilgrims that they decided to extend the affair.” – [Good Housekeeping](https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas/a35457/thanksgiving-trivia/) “TV dinners have Thanksgiving to thank. In 1953, someone at Swanson misjudged the number of frozen turkeys it would sell that Thanksgiving -- by 26 TONS! Some industrious soul came up with a brilliant plan: Why not slice up the meat and repackage with some trimmings on the side? Thus, the first TV dinner was born!” – [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/21/health/thanksgiving-fun-facts-trivia-trnd/index.html) “The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York took place in 1914, when Macy's employees dressed in vibrant costumes and marched to the flagship store on 34th Street. The parade used floats instead of balloons, and it featured monkeys, bears, camels, and elephants, all borrowed from the Central Park Zoo.” – [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/thanksgiving-fun-facts-2017-11#the-first-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-used-live-animals-from-the-central-park-zoo-2) “The National Turkey Foundation (NTF) estimates that around 88 percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and about 46 million turkeys were consumed on the holiday in 2015. Turkey has become a bigger part of the American diet recently, with consumption nearly doubling over the past 25 years, according to the NTF.” – [Huffington Post](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wow-your-family-with-these-15-fun-thanksgiving-facts_us_5835b676e4b01ba68ac3bb65) “The history of U.S. presidents pardoning turkeys is patchy. Harry Truman is often credited with being the first president to pardon a turkey, but that’s not quite true. He was the first to receive a ceremonial turkey from the National Turkey Federation – and he had it for dinner. John F. Kennedy was the first to let a Thanksgiving turkey go, followed by Richard Nixon who sent his turkey to a petting zoo. George H.W. Bush is the president who formalized the turkey pardoning tradition in 1989.” – [WorldStrides](https://worldstrides.com/blog/2016/11/9-fun-facts-about-thanksgiving/) “The first time the Detroit Lions played football on Thanksgiving Day was in 1934, when they hosted the Chicago Bears at the University of Detroit stadium, in front of 26,000 fans. The NBC radio network broadcast the game on 94 stations across the country–the first national Thanksgiving football broadcast. Since that time, the Lions have played a game every Thanksgiving (except between 1939 and 1944); in 1956, fans watched the game on television for the first time.” – [History Channel](https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-facts) **Click Below To Contact Winn Technology Group** [![LEARN MORE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/248984/2fedbccf-bc7c-410c-bc64-8dba77795d7d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/248984/2fedbccf-bc7c-410c-bc64-8dba77795d7d) Topics: [Marketing](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/marketing) [![Free Inbound Marketing Assessment CLICK HERE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/248984/7885f1ce-b7c1-4675-b6f4-fd5fb35b2250.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/248984/7885f1ce-b7c1-4675-b6f4-fd5fb35b2250) ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Marketing (221)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/marketing) - [Inbound Marketing (188)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/inbound-marketing) - [Digital Marketing (100)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/digital-marketing) - [Social Media (72)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/social-media) - [Channel Marketing (63)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/channel-marketing) - [Growth Marketing (63)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/growth-marketing) - [Event Marketing (43)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/event-marketing) - [Email Marketing (30)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/email-marketing) - [Multi-Channel Marketing (30)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/multi-channel-marketing) - [SEO (28)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/seo) - [Teleprospecting (27)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/teleprospecting) - [Account Based Marketing (26)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/account-based-marketing) - [Lead Nurturing (24)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/lead-nurturing) - [Lead Generation (21)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/lead-generation) - [Branding (20)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/branding) - [Demand Generation (10)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/demand-generation) - [Marketing Automation (10)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/marketing-automation) - [Trade Shows (10)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/trade-shows) - [Live Touch (7)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/live-touch) - [Video (6)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/video) - [Medtech (5)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/medtech) - [Pay Per Click (5)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/pay-per-click) - [Business Process Outsourcing (2)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/business-process-outsourcing) - [Sales (2)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/sales) - [AQLs (1)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/aqls) - [News Release (1)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/news-release) - [Product Support (1)](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/topic/product-support) [see all](https://blog.winntech.net/winn-demand-blog/thanksgiving-history-and-fun-facts#) [![LEARN MORE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/248984/72ea06aa-eb5a-47db-81c2-65c508088e3a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/248984/72ea06aa-eb5a-47db-81c2-65c508088e3a) [** ** ](https://www.facebook.com/winntechnology/) [** ** ](https://twitter.com/winntechnology) [** ** ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/winn-technology-group) [Privacy Policy](https://www.winntech.net/privacy-policy) 523 Palm Harbor Blvd. Palm Harbor, FL, 34683 800-444-5622 [info@winntech.net](mailto:info@winntech.net) © 2026 Winn Technology Group [Template By Brand Builder Solutions](https://www.brandbuildersolutions.com/)