Branna Trots Through Thanksgiving Tidbits
Actress and artist Joyce Giraud said it best: “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are.” And as anyone who knows me well will attest, I, too, am a big believer in the “abundance mentality.”
A few months back, our church was honored with guest speaker, Indianapolis’ own anchor and reporter Scott Swan. In his book: The Hope You Need Today, Scott states, “Part of my daily prayer life is spent thanking God for who He is and what He has done. It helps me develop an attitude of gratitude. Before I thank God for what He’s done in my life, I praise Him for who He is.”
Thanksgiving is fodder for so many facts around food, family, faith, fun, and lest we forget, football. Here’s my own original outline of some delightful holiday data.
A 2024 YouGov survey conducted shortly before Thanksgiving asked Americans what they were most thankful for that year. Nearly half (47 percent) said family and friends, 19 percent said health, and 8 percent said faith.
A 2023 Lending Tree survey found that on average, most holiday hosts expect 11 guests and usually spend about $361 on food, drink and decor – a number that, with rising costs, will most likely be higher this year. The average Thanksgiving meal contains around 3,000-4,500 calories. And one final food-related factoid: traditional Thanksgiving dishes like turkey and pumpkin pie were not served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621, which likely included venison, seafood and other fowl.
Feasting our eyes on football,
the tradition of playing college ball on Thanksgiving dates back to 1876, with an annual game between Yale and Princeton. NFL involvement started in 1920 and the Detroit Lions have played a home game on Thanksgiving every year since 1934.
What city is home to the oldest Thanksgiving parade, you ask? The Philadelphia Brothers department store in 1920 had only 50 people, 15 cars and a fireman dressed as Santa Claus. The parade ended with Santa on his sleigh, signifying the arrival of the holiday season. It was the inspiration behind the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day Parade which started in 1924.
Then there’s the twelve month turkey presidential pardon. In recent years, this profound practice includes sparing the lives of two famously feathered birds, one of which is named the National Thanksgiving Turkey. For example, in 2019, President Donald Trump pardoned turkeys named Bread and Butter, with Butter named as the National Thanksgiving Turkey. However, who was the first president to pardon a turkey?
According to official White House history, the first turkey reprieve was granted in 1863 by none other than Abraham Lincoln. After a live turkey had been brought home for the Christmas dinner, Lincoln’s son Tad interceded on behalf of its life. So in some ways, Lincoln was the first president to pardon a turkey — although it was a Christmas turkey, not a Thanksgiving one.
I feel as if I’ve found a following of friends in my tenure as a columnist with The Times. So I share MY story which I fondly refer to as the Fateful Findlay (Ohio) Family Fiasco. Let’s face it, I was a fanatic. Before I became old and less bold, my younger self yearned for perfection. Thanksgiving dinner was no exception. Forget any sleep the night before, as I was awake and fretting any forgotten final touches of this annual fete. But come Thanksgiving morning, the bird was basted and baking, the sides were simmering and the pumpkin and pecan pies were prepared. The table was set with the “good” dishes, and the kids were clamoring to the kitchen in anticipation of the fine feast that was finally coming to fruition. Then it struck me like a lightning bolt to the brain: The sauce was lost! Yes, that colorful crimson crowning glory that graced every annual ceremonial meal was missing. Never mind that it was simply a can of jiggly, jello-like regalement, but it was gone! In a personal paralyzing panic, I beseeched my bewildered husband to hightail it to the nearest hub that had food to grab a can of this disremembered detail. Poor Tom began his trek of tracing all across town in search of this missing morsel. He was the hero of this story as he dutifully delivered the final detail of our delayed dinner. We plopped down at the perfectly displayed table, prayed and delightfully delved in. The provisions were passed and plated, but what was passed upon was, you guessed it, that crazy, consequential cranberry concoction! Dad didn’t want it, the kids nixed the notion, and I never liked the stuff myself. Hence, the defined “debacle” that still haunts me on this hallowed holiday! I’m sure I’m not alone. Over $42 million is spent on canned cranberry sauce each year. My story is a tribute to the “Tom’s” of this traditional holiday!
In parting (and in the words of Elvis himself), I want to say thank you very much to my readers. I so appreciate you all for your pilgrimage with me in my passion for writing!
Branna (McCarty) Shores believes that “HOME is where your story begins.” A Noblesville native and proud graduate of NHS and Purdue University, she is a professional speaker, advocate for mental health and work / family balance and retired social worker. Branna is the mother of two grown daughters, six precious grandchildren and wife of one brave husband! Her passions include singing, writing and sharing the lighter side of life through lessons learned, both personally and professionally. She can be contacted at branna18@gmail.com