Something You Should Know

Thanksgiving Myths, Foods & Forgotten Traditions- Bonus Holiday Episode

November 25, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The traditional modern Thanksgiving menu, including turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, largely did not exist at the 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, whose actual meal centered on deer, birds, shellfish, corn, and heavily featured pumpkin. 
  • The modern tradition of the Presidential Turkey Pardon officially began with George H.W. Bush in 1989, although turkeys were presented to presidents as gifts dating back to the 1800s. 
  • The popular song "Jingle Bells" was originally composed in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont for a Thanksgiving concert, not for Christmas, and only became associated with Christmas later. 

Segments

First Thanksgiving Menu Myths
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(00:00:02)
  • Key Takeaway: The 1621 Thanksgiving menu lacked modern staples like pies, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce, but heavily featured pumpkin.
  • Summary: The traditional image of the first Thanksgiving feast is inaccurate; items like pies and cranberry sauce were absent. The actual menu likely included eel meat, deer, birds, and shellfish. Pumpkin was extremely important to the early New England diet, leading to the nickname “Pumpkin Dominion.”
Presidential Turkey Pardon History
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(00:02:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The formal tradition of the Presidential Turkey Pardon began with George H.W. Bush in 1989, though turkeys were presented to presidents since the 1800s.
  • Summary: Farmers began sending turkeys as gifts to presidents in the 1800s, with Lincoln once sparing a bird presented to him. The National Turkey Federation started formal presentations in 1947, but President Harry Truman ate the bird he received. George H.W. Bush was the first to officially issue a pardon in 1989, establishing the modern ceremony.
First Thanksgiving Food Reality
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(00:04:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The 1621 gathering was more of a state dinner negotiating alliances than a religious Thanksgiving celebration.
  • Summary: The known food items from the 1621 feast included four deer brought by the Wampanoag, wild birds, and likely shellfish and corn. The meal was typical of what they usually ate, not necessarily special fare, though pumpkin was a staple crop. The term ‘Thanksgiving’ was used for various community thankfulness events, not exclusively for the harvest meal.
Pumpkin’s Historical Importance
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(00:07:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Pumpkin was so central to the early New England diet that residents were nicknamed “pumpkin heads,” and the first American folk song was about overconsumption.
  • Summary: Pumpkin was a hearty, storable crop that grew well in New England, making it a dietary constant since 1620. While pumpkin pie was known, settlers primarily stewed or mixed chopped pumpkin with other ingredients. The natives cultivated pumpkin as part of the nutritious ’three sisters’ planting system with beans and corn.
Turkey’s Late Centerpiece Status
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(00:10:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Turkey was not the centerpiece of early Thanksgiving meals; chicken pie was more common until Sarah Josepha Hale popularized turkey through her influential magazine.
  • Summary: Wild turkeys were easy to hunt but were nearly eradicated from New England by the Civil War era. Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of a major magazine, wrote about a classic New England Thanksgiving featuring turkey, effectively making it the centerpiece of the national meal. She also successfully lobbied Abraham Lincoln to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
Missing Menu Items Explained
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(00:12:53)
  • Key Takeaway: White potatoes and sweet potatoes were not common Thanksgiving fare in 1621; white potatoes were initially viewed as food for the poor or Irish.
  • Summary: The Pilgrims would have known of sweet potatoes as a luxury aphrodisiac imported by the Spanish, but they were not grown locally in 1621. The white Irish potato arrived later (1718) with Scots-Irish immigrants and was initially scorned by Puritans and feared by the French. Thomas Jefferson introduced French fries (made from white potatoes) to the White House after his time in France, popularizing the spud.
Cranberries and Celery Arrival
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(00:18:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Cranberries were highly valued by the Wampanoag for food, dye, and medicine, while celery only arrived in America during the Revolutionary War era.
  • Summary: The Wampanoag revered cranberries, and some communities still celebrate ‘Cranberry Day’ in October. Celery was a late arrival, appearing in the 1770s as a fancy food, eventually becoming one of the most popular restaurant vegetables due to its crispness in late fall.
The Women Who Cooked First Thanksgiving
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(00:20:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Only four adult women survived the first winter to cook for the 1621 feast, including two ‘saints’ and two women from families known for trouble.
  • Summary: Mary Brewster and Susanna Winslow were the ‘saints’ (religious settlers), while Elizabeth Hopkins and Elizabeth Billington were the others. Elizabeth Billington’s husband was hanged for murder, and her son nearly caused a war. Elizabeth Hopkins’ husband, Stephen Hopkins, was reportedly the inspiration for the character Stefano in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Thanksgiving’s Evolving Meaning
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(00:25:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Thanksgiving was not originally a fixed harvest holiday but a day declared by leaders for specific community thanks, such as after a military victory.
  • Summary: The concept of Thanksgiving was forgotten until the 19th century, when it was celebrated sporadically for events like rain or military success. Sam Adams declared one after the Battle of Saratoga, and Thomas Jefferson did so as governor of Virginia. Abraham Lincoln was the one who finally declared it a national holiday.
Jingle Bells Origin Story
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(00:28:03)
  • Key Takeaway: “Jingle Bells,” originally titled “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” was composed for a Thanksgiving concert in Medford, Massachusetts, celebrating local sleigh races.
  • Summary: Songwriter James Lord Pierpont wrote the tune in 1857, capturing the energy of young people racing sleighs during the snowy Thanksgiving season. The song debuted at a Thanksgiving church concert and gained popularity, eventually being sung again at Christmas, where it stuck as a holiday classic.