#Thanksgiving Fun Facts

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US and Canada. Canada was the first to start celebrating in 1578. The  US started in 1621. 

Thanksgiving started as a religious celebration of praise and thankfulness

Thanksgiving was made a national holiday in 1863 by President Lincoln

Pilgrims and the Wampanaug Indians most likely had venison, lobster, and oysters for the first Thanksgiving, not turkey.

The tradition of watching football started in 1920

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was in 1924 and featured animals from the Central Park Zoo.

Approximately 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving day- double the number eaten for Christmas.

Only male turkeys gobble. The average turkey weighs 15 pounds.

The wishbone tradition was brought to England by the Romans in 322 BC

The first turkey was pardoned by President Harry Truman in 1947, but it didn't become a tradition until President George WH Bush pardoned  a bird in 1989.

And if you have any tough turkey questions, you can call the Butterball Hotline.

From the Butterball Hotline:

Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or text 844-877-3456.

2018 Turkey Talk-Line Hours (Central Standard Time):
November 1st - 16th: 8 am - 8 pm (Monday - Friday)
November 17th - 18th: 8 am - 6 pm
November 19th - 20th: 7 am - 9 pm
November 21st: 7am - 10pm
November 22nd (Thanksgiving Day): 6 am - 6 pm
November 23rd - December 21st: 8 am - 6 pm (Monday - Friday)
December 22nd - 23rd: 8 am - 2 pm
December 24th (Christmas Eve): 8 am - 2 pm

#American Friday Fun

July is the month that we really hit this America stuff hard. And why not? We love America. So here are a few America thoughts for your Friday.

• Russia and the US are only 4km apart. That’s under 3 miles!
• Ronald Reagan declared the rose to be the national flower in 1986. How romantic of him. Lol!
• Did you know that it cost more to make a penny than it’s worth? Yeah, I think we all knew that.
• E Pluribus Unum (as printed on our money) means ‘out of many, one.’ It was the motto of the United States of America until 1956 when Congress changed it to In God We Trust. In a simple way this Latin motto points out that we had many different states and they were united but I believe on a deeper level we are still very much a country of many (the diversity in America is incredible) that is one (unity!)
• The United States contains nearly every climate found elsewhere in the world.
• The Great Seal of America was designed by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson in 1782. 

If you want to “Make America Great Again” then I think we just have to make Americans great again. I’m not talking about certain politicians, or public figures, or even your neighbor. I’m talking about YOU!

What are the values that you wish to see in America? Honesty? Hard work? Thrift? Kindness? Respect? Work on making these things part of YOU and your family.

You can’t control all of America with legislature but you can make it clear that nothing short of complete honestly will be tolerated in your home and if you personally slip up you can apologize and make it right.

patriotic family

Set an example. How will that make a difference? Great values are contagious. We look around, we always have, we always will. We notice if our neighbors are forthright and respectful. We notice when the gentleman in the grocery store is kind and patient.  We know if our parents worked hard for what they got or if they just expected a hand out. We notice when our teachers and leaders respond with ethics even when it’s hard. They make America great. You make America great.

We might not be perfect but I am proud to be an American.

God Bless the USA!

And God Bless Shelly Brown! Thanks so much for sharing your goodness with us this week!

Shelly Brown is a mother to five crazy kids, caretaker of five crazy chickens, and wears the hat of children’s book writer at least 5 days a week. Her debut children’s book Ghostsitter comes out October 1st  but you can preorder today on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookseller.