The Rumor that Started the Thanksgiving Holiday

Have you heard the rumors about Thanksgiving?

As a general rule, the Eagle Express team tries to keep honesty and integrity at the forefront of our operations. That means rumors don’t get recirculated. In this case, though, it’s tough to comply with that mantra, because the entire Thanksgiving holiday is a rumor- one that has, for centuries, been passed down from generation to generation.

The rumor of a giant feast with friends started with a letter written by an English settler named Edward Winslow in December of 1621. Writing from the colony in Plymouth, Winslow tells his pals back in England about a few meals the colonists had with the Wampanoag Indians. They gathered fowl, deer, and corn, and together, partook in “the plenty” that they had. Winslow granted glory to God for the goodness of wanting for nothing.

Since then, we’ve celebrated harvest in a similar way. We gather together. Most of us have meals that leave nothing to want, and we thank God for an abundance in our lives of food, family, and friends.

What a great thing to come from one letter written from one friend to another! The rumor of a big feast and gathering with neighbors kicked off decades of celebrations that we still honor today.

While the concept of the first Thanksgiving might be more fiction than fact, these Thanksgiving facts are rooted in truth.

Here is a little history about one of our favorite holidays:

Turkey probably wasn’t on the menu for the first Thanksgiving. The feast Winslow wrote about probably didn’t include turkey. Deer, seafood, and fruits were likely served. Pumpkin might have even been a staple.

Tater… nots. Potatoes, though a favorite on the table these days, wouldn’t have been a part of the first feast. Potatoes had just recently been transported to Europe from South America, and they weren’t exactly a fan favorite at that time.

There were many days of thanks. Sure, one day of giving thanks is great! But throughout history, before Thanksgiving Day became a holiday, there were several national days of thanks. For example, after the Americans won victory over Britain, it was called for a national day of thanks. Other instances occurred during the Civil War; the Union and Confederates created Thanksgiving Day proclamations after victories. It wasn’t until December 26, 1941 that President Roosevelt made the 4th Thursday in November a national Thanksgiving Day holiday.

Since 1876, we’ve given thanks for Thanksgiving football. It was that year that Princeton and Yale played a game on the newly branded Thanksgiving Day (though, not yet the official Turkey Day). This championship game was played as a start to a tradition that we continue to this day.

The inaugural Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floated through the streets of New York City in 1924. The first parade was actually called Macy’s Christmas Parade. There were no balloons, but there were floats pulled by horses and appearances by several zoo animals from the Central Park Zoo. In a tradition we still hold on to today, Santa was last in the lineup.

Turkeys are a practical pastime. We eat turkey on Thanksgiving because of tradition, but that tradition began because of practicality. Turkeys are generally plentiful. They don’t serve much more of a purpose other than feeding people, which, they do well considering one turkey can feed an entire family. While chickens and cows on a farm serve many purposes other than food, turkeys are mostly bred for slaughter.

Our Eagle Express team isn’t one for perpetuating a rumor, but in this case, we’re happy to oblige!

A rumor started the Thanksgiving Holiday, but it’s friends and family that keep it going. And a little help from the Eagle Express Thanksgiving Day delivery team.

Eagle Express is here 24/7 to assist with your scheduled deliveries and urgent transportation needs. We’re thankful for our clients, and we’re happy to do what we can to make sure your holiday season is happy. Call us now for immediate service, or find us here on the web and chat. We hope you have the happiest holiday season!