Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving traditions have evolved through the years and vary from region to region. Many of us celebrate these traditions today without understanding their origins. With a Thanksgiving meal averaging 3,000 calories, why not begin a new tradition of an after-dinner family stroll. Walk off some calories before returning to the table for dessert. As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Kitchen Ink reflects on a few Thanksgiving firsts.

• Breaking the Wishbone—This tradition of unknown origin dates back thousands of years. The wishbone is taken from the turkey carcass beforehand and dried out. After the Thanksgiving meal, two names are pulled out of a hat to determine who gets to break the wishbone. Each person holds one side of the wishbone and makes a wish while they pull it apart. The person with the bigger piece has their secret wish granted.

• Apple Pie, 1381, England—A sugarless pie recipe attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer contained apples, raisins, pears, figs, and saffron. The first apple pie wasn’t recorded in the American colonies until 1697, when it was brought over by European immigrants.

• Apple Pie à la Mode, 1890s, Cambridge, New York—Charles Watson Townsend, while visiting the Cambridge Hotel, ordered a slice of apple pie with ice cream. When asked the name of the dessert, he replied Pie à la Mode.

• Football, 1869, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—A game between the Young America Cricket Club and the Germantown Cricket Club is considered the first Thanksgiving Day football game. From 1876 to 1882, Princeton played Yale in New York each Thanksgiving Day. In 1882, the Intercollegiate Football Association made it official, with an annual Thanksgiving collegiate championship game in New York City between the two leading teams in the association.

• Turkey Trot, 1896, Buffalo, New York—The local YMCA held a 5-mile foot race with eight competitors; only four made it to the finish line. Today Turkey Trots are a tradition—a fun run to burn off calories before consuming the Thanksgiving meal. Races range from 3.1 to 8 miles.

• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,1924, New York City—This first parade consisted of three floats pulled by horses, camels, donkeys, elephants, and goats from the Central Park Zoo. Santa Claus ended the parade, a tradition that continues this day. The 1927 parade had the first giant helium-filled balloon, Felix the Cat. This remains the nation’s biggest and most popular holiday parade. For 2020, with COVID concerns, the only way to watch the parade is on TV. It will air from 9 a.m. to noon.