On Thursday, Americans will sit down to eat turkey, watch football, and give thanks for what they have been blessed with over the past year. Here are some Thanksgiving Day fun facts to share with your relatives around the dinner table.
393
The number of years ago the first Thanksgiving took place, in November 1621. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians gathered in Plymouth, mostly to feast on seafood, not turkey.
151
The number of years ago President Lincoln first established Thanksgiving as an annual holiday, in 1863.
$49.41
Average cost of a Thanksgiving Day feast for 10 people, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
$119.99
Cost of a catered turkey dinner for 6-8 people from Whole Foods in Washington, DC. (Desserts sold separately.)
21 percent
How much cheaper a Thanksgiving feast is today than in 1986, adjusted for inflation.
1989
First year a turkey was officially pardoned by the president, according to the American Presidency Project.
45 million
Number of turkeys killed every year for Thanksgiving, according to PETA.
7.6 billion
Number of calories consumed by Americans at Thanksgiving every year, assuming all 45 million turkeys eaten were 170-calorie-per-serving Butterball turkeys.
4,500
The number of calories in a typical Thanksgiving meal, including appetizers, drinks and desserts.
32 miles
How many miles an American male would have to run to burn off 4,500 calories, assuming he is of average weight (195.5 pounds) and running one mile every 11 minutes and 30 seconds. In other words, if a man were to run a marathon after a Thanksgiving meal, he still wouldn’t burn off the calories he consumed.
47 percent
Fraction of Americans who say apple pie is in their top three favorite types of pie.
46.3 million
How many Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving, with 3.6 million flying to their destination.
.473
The Detroit Lions’ winning percentage in Thanksgiving Day football games. 2014 will be the 70th year in a row the Lions host an NFL game on Thanksgiving Day.
27.2 million
How many viewers on average, watched each Thanksgiving Day NFL game in 2013.
3.5 million
Number of people who line the streets of Manhattan to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
180-185 degrees Fahrenheit
The internal temperature a turkey should be cooked to, according to President Bartlet on The West Wing.
