How our favorite customs became popular since that first Thanksgiving meal
By Randi Mazzella, AARP Experience Counts Published November 16, 2023
After a huge Thanksgiving meal of roast turkey, cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie, it’s easy to want to fall straight onto the couch, turn on the TV and watch football. But what if you went for a walk instead?
While it’s great to continue old traditions — and many tried-and-true customs are still popular — newer practices are taking root. For instance, turkey isn’t a requirement for the holiday table anymore.
In a 2022 survey conducted for the travel website, The Vacationer, nearly 30 percent of respondents said turkey is their least favorite food on the Thanksgiving table.
Well, guess what? You don’t have to eat it!
Historians aren’t even sure there was turkey at the first Thanksgiving. Some accounts mention that the Native Americans who attended the first Thanksgiving arrived with five deer, which were roasted on a spit and used to make venison stew.
It seems that turkey gained its dominance on the table because it was said to be President Abraham Lincoln’s favorite meal. Prompted by his palate and the musings in Colonial Massachusetts Governor William Bradford’s journal about the “great store of wild turkey” at the early Thanksgiving feast, Lincoln asked for turkey to be served at the first Thanksgiving dinner he hosted after declaring the national holiday in October 1863.
In 1947, it became a tradition to present the president with a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. The president then spared its life with a pardon, meaning the turkey was excused from the meal. So, while venison stew might not be your top choice as the star of the Thanksgiving table, it’s okay to give that spot to ham, roast beef, quail or even vegetables.
As for watching football, that tradition came about in 1876 when the Intercollegiate Football Association began having its championship game on Thanksgiving Day.
In 1920, the National Football League was founded. At the time, there was little interest in professional football (baseball was much more popular), so the league scheduled games on Thanksgiving to draw attention to the sport and bring in new fans. It worked. Today, three NFL games, including one with the Detroit Lions (since 1934) and one with the Dallas Cowboys (since 1966), are broadcast on Thanksgiving. The host team of the third game, added in 2006, changes every year.
Some newer traditions are now common in today’s Thanksgiving holiday celebrations.
Getting outside
If you don’t want to watch football, you can get some exercise after your meal instead. Going for a long walk may make you feel better than a nap on the couch. The fresh air and movement are good for digestion, physical health and mental well-being.
Another common activity that has emerged for the holiday is to start your day with pre-meal exercise, specifically, a morning Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day.
According to Runner’s World, the first Turkey Trot occurred 127 years ago on Thanksgiving Day, 1896 in Buffalo, New York. Just six runners participated in the race, an 8K hosted by a local YMCA.
Despite its humble beginning, the race continued to be held in Buffalo each year, and as running became more popular, more communities began hosting their own Turkey Trot. According to Running USA, over 900,00 people finished a trot in 2016. Many people choose to run in costumes such as turkeys or pilgrim hats. Turkey Trots are not overly competitive – focusing on a more family-friendly fun start to the day.
Giving back
Giving back is also associated with Thanksgiving. Serving meals to those less fortunate is now a common practice on the holiday.
“Thanksgiving is one of our busiest events,” said Mike Heston, the volunteer coordinator for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission in New Jersey. “Last year, we fed about 500 people, and this year we expect even more. Especially due to Covid, there is a lot of food insecurity, and people are so appreciative of the service we provide.”
Heston said he sees a lot of friend groups and a lot of families come together to volunteer on Thanksgiving. “They feel compelled to help those in need.”
Another habit that would be great year-round, but certainly during Thanksgiving, is to fill up food banks. People shop for their holiday meals and buy extra to donate, or they can make a financial donation. Canned goods and frozen turkey drives are a common theme among businesses and schools.
If you want to learn how to assist in your area, look at Feeding America for opportunities near your home to help out.
Attending a parade
While some choose to run a Turkey Trot on the holiday, others choose to walk — and there’s no better walk than on a parade route. Thanksgiving and parades became synonymous after the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in 1924. According to Baruch College’s NYCdata, in the 1920s, many Macy’s employees were first-generation European immigrants. “They wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with the type of festival they loved and cherished back home.”
The original parade had employees dressed up as clowns and cowboys. Together with floats, marching bands and 25 animals on loan from the Central Park Zoo, they marched down 34th Street. All parade volunteers, from balloon handlers to float escorts, are Macy’s employees (or their family, friends, or people sponsored by an employee), and many return yearly to these coveted roles. Marching bands for each year’s parade must submit their applications by February 1 of the year prior. Performance group applications are considered year-round and accepted by June 30 of the year prior. With a few exceptions, the Macy’s parade has continued to be a yearly event in New York. Other cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit, host their own Thanksgiving parades.
Friendsgiving
Still, other traditions that don’t hearken to the early settlers have started along the way. For instance, the hit 1990s TV show Friends is credited for the more recent tradition of Friendsgiving, with friends instead of or in addition to family. The character of Monica would cook a big dinner for everyone. One year, her parents were there; other years, random guests such as Rachel’s sister or Ross’s friend from high school (played by Brad Pitt) who happened to be in town filled the seats at the table.
A 2018 article in The Atlantic discusses the evolution of Friendsgiving and how it has become increasingly popular in the last few years. It is partly because “families themselves have changed — and nonrelatives have become more likely to take on family-like roles in people’s lives.”
For most people, Friendsgiving is an additional celebration, occurring on the days before or after actual Thanksgiving Thursday. More casual (potlucks are common) than the main dinner, Friendsgiving is meant to be a relaxed event that will not add stress to the already hectic holiday season.
Expressions of gratitude
In many homes, going around the table and asking everyone what they are grateful for is a typical pre-meal activity. But a new tradition is emerging. Rather than have everyone announce their reasons for gratitude, families have everyone write their thoughts on small pieces of paper and place them in a gratitude jar to read after dinner. We have tried this at our house, with each person picking one note from the jar to read aloud and then guessing who wrote it. It’s led us to get to know one another better and what we most appreciate in our lives.
Another idea is to buy a blank journal for people to write down the blessings of the last year and hopes for the future. Take the journal out the following year and see if people still feel the same way. Or leave a note card and envelope at each place setting. Guests can take the card home and write a note of gratitude to someone they are grateful for.
Randi Mazzella is a freelance writer specializing in a wide range of topics from parenting to pop culture to life after 50. Her work has been featured in many online and print publications, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Next Avenue, AARP’s The Girlfriend and Charlotte Parent. She is a mother of three grown children and lives in New Jersey with her husband. Read more of her work on randimazzella.com.
