A Thanksgiving Fun Fact Roundup
Since Thanksgiving was officially named a national holiday by congress in 1941, the holiday has expanded its traditions beyond what any Mayflower pilgrim could have imagined. For one thing, the 1621 pilgrims would never have estimated that 38.4 million Americans travel over 50 miles to spend Thanksgiving holiday weekend with those special people they love. In my case it's usually with my parents, and by the end of the weekend I remember why I would never move back in with them.
Next, what's on the table? Well, back on the first big day the Pilgrims' table had corn, deer beans, and let me see ... more corn. Pies, cakes, and other desserts were a thing of the future. Here at the Future Thanksgiving, cooks bake record sized pies, produce over 690 million pounds of turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkins and sweet potatoes. In 2005, the Guinness Book of World Records rcorded the hugest pumpkin pie ever baked at 2,020 pounds with a 12' diameter.
Wisconsin is among the top states that produces the 790 million pounds of cranberry sauce for the Thanksgiving feast. Don't forget the sweet potato which seems to be a favorite dish coming in at a annual production for the holiday of 874 million pounds.
This holiday weekend, don't forget about the people who created the holiday that made stuffing your face and then taking a nap a national pasttime. Safe travels!
