10 Facts About Thanksgiving

10 Facts About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a very important day in the United States. There are many things that are especially related to the celebrations of the Thanksgiving Day. These include Thanksgiving turkey trivia, pilgrims, thanksgiving proclamation, thanksgiving as a national holiday and other things. Some of such facts are mentioned here which will not only help you enhance your knowledge about Thanksgiving Day but also make you enjoy this day with even more zeal.

1. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

2. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.

3. The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.

4. The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620.

5. The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America.

6. The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of 'Mayflower'.

7. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.

8. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

9. The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer.

10. The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.

11. The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.

12. The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.

13. The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.

14. President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in the year 1789 and again in 1795.

15. The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817.

16. Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor with a magazine, started a Thanksgiving campaign in 1827 and it was result of her efforts that in 1863 Thanksgiving was observed as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer.

17. Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held.

18. President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy of the state.

19. Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

20. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States. But it was Thomas Jefferson who opposed him. It is believed that Franklin then named the male turkey as 'tom' to spite Jefferson.

21. The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's.

22. Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.

23. When the Pilgrims arrived in North America, the clothing of the Native Americans was made of animal skins (mainly deer skin).

24. On December 11, 1620 the first Pilgrims (or Puritans, as they were initially known) landed at Plymouth Rock.

25. By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.

Read More

10 Facts About Thanksgiving

10 Facts About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a very important day in the United States. There are many things that are especially related to the celebrations of the Thanksgiving Day. These include Thanksgiving turkey trivia, pilgrims, thanksgiving proclamation, thanksgiving as a national holiday and other things. Some of such facts are mentioned here which will not only help you enhance your knowledge about Thanksgiving Day but also make you enjoy this day with even more zeal.

1. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

2. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.

3. The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.

4. The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620.

5. The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America.

6. The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of 'Mayflower'.

7. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.

8. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

9. The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer.

10. The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.

11. The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.

12. The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.

13. The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.

14. President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in the year 1789 and again in 1795.

15. The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817.

16. Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor with a magazine, started a Thanksgiving campaign in 1827 and it was result of her efforts that in 1863 Thanksgiving was observed as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer.

17. Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held.

18. President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy of the state.

19. Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

20. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States. But it was Thomas Jefferson who opposed him. It is believed that Franklin then named the male turkey as 'tom' to spite Jefferson.

21. The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's.

22. Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.

23. When the Pilgrims arrived in North America, the clothing of the Native Americans was made of animal skins (mainly deer skin).

24. On December 11, 1620 the first Pilgrims (or Puritans, as they were initially known) landed at Plymouth Rock.

25. By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.

Read More

Turkey Day Traditions

Turkey Day Traditions

Less than two weeks away from Thanksgiving, many Choate students have already made plans for the week away from school. Most are looking forward to Thanksgiving break and their own Thanksgiving holiday celebrations, whether traditional or unique, while some choose not to celebrate the holiday at all.


The family dinner is what many are looking forward to most in Thanksgiving. Almost every one who chooses to celebrate the holiday looks forward to it. “My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food, especially the pies,” said Consuelo Garcia-Garcia ’12. Ilana Heaton ’14 agreed with her: “I love the food on Thanksgiving. The stuffing in turkey is my favorite.”



Special Traditions

While turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pies, and many other traditional Thanksgiving foods are all largely enjoyed, some members of the Choate community look forward to their own interesting food traditions. Gabe Davis ’14 said, “The day before everyone [in my family] comes, my grandpa and I spend four hours making a lot of hot and sour soup. I don’t know what his recipe is, but it is just fantastic. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, my family buys about forty two-pound lobsters. Guests are invited, and the people eat loads and loads and loads of lobsters just to prove that we are New Englanders.”


Choate as a school has it’s own tradition for Thanksgiving— the annual “Thanksgiving Festive Dinner” at Hill House dinning hall during the week before exams. Students and faculty looked forward to this event each year. This year the dinner will be on Thursday, November 17. “I love it. They make all the traditional Thanksgiving food: Turkey, cranberry sauce, and a lot of pies.” said Afia Amoako ’14.


Along with the festive food, Thanksgiving represents other memorable family traditions as well. Spanish teacher Ms. Patricia Antunez said, “My brother and I used to play ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ in the record ‘Christmas with the Chipmunks’ after Thanksgiving to start off the Christmas season when we were little. Now we are playing the same song for our children to carry on the tradition.”


International Students

Although Thanksgiving is not widely celebrated in other countries, most people are still excited about the break from school. Sara Sagadiev ’13 from Kazakhstan is going back home and staying there for a week. “I’m looking forward to spend time with my parents and friends and just enjoy the environment I grow up in,” she said. Aline Mitsuzawa ’14 from Brazil is also going back home to Sao Paulo. Unlike those who are eager for stuffing and mashed potatoes, she said that she misses the taste of traditional Brazilian foods such as barbecue and “Pastel”, a kind of fried cheese. “Thanksgiving is not a popular holiday in Jamaica. Only families have connection with the United States celebrate it,” said Anji Chatani ’14. “My whole family gets together and we have dinner. I went to an American school where we always had three or four days off for Thanksgiving.”


Some international students choose to travel to places nearby instead of going home since the break is relatively short. Isaac Lee ’14, from South Korea, said that he plans to go to Caribbean for a week with his sisters. James Liu ’15 from Beijing, China will meet up with his mother in New York, and together they will go to a family friend’s house in Washington D.C. Liu is excited for his visit to D.C. because it will give him an opportunity to experience the American holiday. He said, “I’m really interested in learning about the traditions and how to make Thanksgiving food such as turkey from my American friend.”


For international students who are unable to go home and do not have other travel plans, there is no need to worry. The school offers to arrange for them to stay with a local student family or a faculty family. Mr. William Morris, Dean of the Fourth Form Boys, said, “Anne Armour, Director of International Students, circulates a questionnaire to everyone at the beginning of the year, asking if [boarding students who live far away] have made plans for Thanksgiving break or if they’d like to be placed with a family, whether a day student, a local boarding student, or a faculty. Then she works with Libby Peard, parent coordinator…They maintain a list of families who volunteer to host international students. Mrs. Armour and Mrs. Peard do their best to help those request a host family.”

Read More

Turkey Day: Seven Steps to Safely Deep Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Turkey Day: Seven Steps to Safely Deep Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Although there’s some debate about whether turkey was actually served at the first Thanksgiving, there’s no question that modern-day Americans are finding new and creative ways to serve up this traditional holiday favorite. One that’s been on the rise in recent years involves the use of turkey fryers. Deep-fried turkey started in the deep South, but has become something of a national craze in the past decade.


Unfortunately, this passion for deep frying has resulted in a rise in the number of dangerous accidents involving turkey fryers. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, which are the number one cause of residential fires and fire-related injuries. Turkey fryers are playing an increasingly significant role, too, with the NFPA estimating they cause 1,000 fires annually.

“Every Thanksgiving, we receive reports of accidents involving turkey fryers,” said Mike Convery, chief claims officer and vice president for MetLife Auto & Home®. “Some of these stories are quite serious, too. For example, not so long ago, we had a customer whose overturned turkey fryer ignited his motorcycle’s gas tank. He suffered serious third-degree burns and endured months in rehab -- not to mention the total destruction of his home.”

Although using a turkey fryer can be dangerous, there are actions that can be taken to reduce the likelihood that an accident or injury will occur. Consider the following:

01. One major cause of turkey fryer accidents is that the turkey is not completely thawed, which can create a volatile situation. The National Turkey Federation recommends refrigerator thawing: allow approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of bird thawed.
02. Use your turkey fryer outdoors, away from buildings and any material that can burn. Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages. Make sure to place the fryer on a flat surface.
03. Never leave the fryer unattended. If you don't watch it carefully, the oil may catch fire.
04. Never overfill the fryer, and make sure to leave adequate room for the oil displaced by the turkey.
05. Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use. And, even after the food is on the table, remember: turkey fryers remain dangerously hot for hours.
06. Always use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when using a turkey fryer. And, even though they may look silly, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
07. If a fire breaks out, never use water to try to put it out. Adding water to a grease fire will only make things worse, quickly, and could result in significant fire damage, as well as devastating injury. Make certain you keep a fire extinguisher on hand, but if the fire appears unmanageable, call 9-1-1 for help, rather than fighting it yourself.

To help people learn more about fire safety in general, MetLife Auto & Home offers free materials, including a coloring book for children entitled “Learn about Fire Safety with the PEANUTS Gang” and a fire safety brochure entitled “About… Fire Safety.” Both are available by calling 1-800-608-0190. Fire safety information is also available at www.lifeadvice.com.

MetLife Auto & Home, a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, is one of the nation’s leading personal lines property and casualty insurance providers, with more than 2.7 million policies in force. MetLife Auto & Home is a part of MetLife, Inc. MET, a leading global provider of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Read More