The tradition of inviting intolerable family members to your house to enjoy a smorgasbord of turkey, stuffing and, depending on the household, alcohol, was not the way the pilgrims celebrated the now annual holiday.
As it turns out, the devoutly religious pilgrims celebrated a day of thanksgiving by fasting, and not feasting.
Below are some surprising “facts” about Thanksgiving that may surprise you:
In 1541, Spanish explorer, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a Thanksgiving prayer that started, “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub.”
• An unnamed pilgrim was overheard saying, “Turkey? Again?” during the fifth-ever Thanksgiving dinner.
• In 1630, settlers stumbled into a saloon off the coast of Plymouth where several Japanese businessmen were seen celebrating Thanksgiving by singing Karaoke.
• In 1789, President Washington declares Nov. 26 as a national day of “thanksgiving and prayer,” and also decrees the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys to forever play on the holiday.
• In 2004, Congress denies a bill proposed by then-President George W. Bush to change the official mascot of Thanksgiving of a turkey to a pizza with sausage and jalapenos.
