The Thanksgiving festivities have officially commenced. Black Friday sales are at an all time high, the Cowboys are eating the Panthers' dust and the annual Macy's parade has yet again, entertained us to greater heights.

As you savor the turkey and stuffing, have you ever stopped and wonder, "Why turkey?" Well, wonder no more.

We've lined up some of the most fascinating stories behind different Thanksgiving traditions and why we celebrate it the way we do today.

Who Put Thanksgiving On the Map?

"The National Thanksgiving Proclamation" was made known in 1789. However, author Sarah Josepha Hale was the one who pushed Thanksgiving to become a national holiday. Ultimately, President Abraham Lincoln made it official come 1863. She was also the one who allegedly pushed for the turkey to be part of the Thanksgiving meal.

Why Turkey?

There are a handful of theories as to how turkey ended up in the picture. While historic accounts don't include turkey as part of the meal between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians, Telegraph reports that Pilgrim Edward Winslow wrote a letter about a turkey hunt before dinner.

Other accounts say that Queen Elizabeth I ordered yet another goose to be served upon hearing the news of sunken Spanish ships on their way to England. Some say that US settlers roasted turkey because they were inspired by the Queen's actions.

The Annual Macy's Parade

The Macy's Parade has been running for 91 years now. It's become part of Thanksgiving tradition among families and friends, which is truly one of the most entertaining parts of the holiday. This year, the NYPD even raised the French flag to show their unity with the country in light of the recent Paris attacks.

Originally called the "Macy's Christmas Parade," the event was made possible by the company employees back in 1924. Before floats came into the picture, live animals from Central Park were paraded across the city. The parade became so popular, Macy's decided to make it an annual tradition. However, the company put the parade in a two-year hiatus from 1942 and 1944 when war struck.

When WWII concluded, the annual parade was flocked by even more tourists. The company reports that over 3.5 million come to New York City just to catch it, with over 50 million viewers watching on their TV screens.

There are Two Thanksgivings

Apart from Americans, Canadians also celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. The separate celebration was first commemorated by the arctic explorer Martin Frobisher in 1578.

What's Football Got to Do with It?

Football and Thanksgiving go hand in hand. In fact, we're betting on American families gobbling down their turkey while they watch the game on their screens each year.

According to The Pro Football Hall of Fame, football during Thanksgiving started among players in college universities. Since then, NFL picked up the torch and started the tradition back in 1934, when Detroit Lions played on Thanksgiving Day.

It was a big move for the team but it paid off. Tickets were sold out two weeks before the game, with over 26,000 flocking the University of Detroit Stadium.

Tags
Thanksgiving, History