November 4, 2024 • 15 mins
Welcome to Beyond the Bird: Untold Stories of Thanks and Gathering. I'm your host, and today we're starting at the beginning – but maybe not the beginning you're expecting. Before we had football games and Black Friday sales, before that iconic Norman Rockwell painting of Grandma serving turkey, even before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, humans have been gathering to express gratitude for the harvest. It's a practice as old as agriculture itself, and it crosses every cultural boundary we've ever drawn. The Green Corn Ceremony, still celebrated today by many Native American tribes including the Muscogee Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole, predates European contact by centuries. This ancient ceremony traditionally occurs during the final weeks of summer when the corn first becomes edible. More than just a harvest celebration, it serves as a time of renewal, forgiveness, and community building. The ceremony can last several days, incorporating fasting, sacred dances, and ritual cleansing. At its heart lies a profound message of gratitude – not just for the corn, but for the intricate connections between people, land, and spirit. Across the world, harvest festivals share remarkable similarities despite their distinct cultural contexts. The Jewish celebration of Sukkot, dating back to ancient times, commemorates both the harvest and the Exodus from Egypt. For seven days, families construct temporary shelters called sukkahs, decorated with harvest fruits and vegetables. They eat their meals in these structures, a practice that connects modern celebrants with thousands of years of agricultural and spiritual tradition. In East Asia, the Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated in China, Vietnam, Korea, and other countries, traditionally marked the end of the harvest season. Dating back over 3,000 years to China's Shang Dynasty, this festival centers around themes of gratitude, family reunion, and abundance. The sharing of moon cakes, the lighting of lanterns, and gathering with family all speak to universal human desires to express thanks and strengthen community bonds. But what about the story we traditionally associate with American Thanksgiving? The historical record of the 1621 gathering shows a more complex picture than the familiar elementary school pageant version. The three-day event, which wasn't actually called "Thanksgiving" at the time, involved approximately 50 English colonists and 90 men from the Wampanoag tribe. Historical accounts, including Edward Winslow's firsthand description in "Mourt's Relation," tell us the Native American delegation arrived after hearing celebratory gunfire – they weren't initially invited to the colonists' harvest celebration. This has been a Quiet Please production. Head over to Quiet Please dot A I to “Hear What Matters” The few surviving primary sources suggest this gathering merged English harvest home traditions with Native American diplomatic customs. The English colonists were celebrating their first successful harvest in a new and challenging land. The Wampanoag, led by Massasoit, had already experienced devastating losses from European diseases and were carefully navigating a complex political landscape. Their participation represented both diplomatic pragmatism and their own long-standing traditions of marking successful harvests. The transformation of this harvest celebration into our modern American Thanksgiving owes much to one remarkable woman: Sarah Josepha Hale. As editor of Godey's Lady's Book, the most widely circulated magazine in antebellum America, Hale wielded considerable cultural influence. Beginning in 1846, she launched what would become a 17-year campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In her editorials and private letters, preserved in the archives of American periodicals, Hale argued passionately that a unified Thanksgiving celebration could help heal a increasingly divided nation. "We have too few holidays," she wrote in one of her many editorials. "Thanksgiving, like the Fourth of July, should be considered a national festival and observed by all our people." Hale's letters to five consecutive presidents, now preserved in the Library of Congress, reveal her persistent vision of Thanksgiving as a unifying force. She wrote to Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, and finally Lincoln, each time refining her argument for why America needed this holiday. Her letters included detailed suggestions for traditional recipes and customs, many of which we still associate with Thanksgiving today. When Abraham Lincoln finally proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, the country was in the midst of its bloodiest conflict. The timing was not coincidental. Lincoln's proclamation, drafted by Secretary of State William Seward, explicitly positioned Thanksgiving as a force for unity and healing. Even in the midst of civil war, the proclamation noted, the nation had much to be grateful for – productive fields, abundant harvests, and growing in
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to beyond the bird, untold stories of thanks and gathering.
I'm your host, and today we're starting at the beginning,
but maybe not the beginning you're expecting. Before we had
football games and Black Friday sales, Before that iconic Norman
Rockwell painting of Grandma serving turkey. Even before the pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock, humans have been gathering to express
(00:20):
gratitude for the harvest. It's a practice as old as
agriculture itself, and it crosses every cultural boundary we've ever drawn.
The Green Corn ceremony, still celebrated today by many Native
American tribes, including the Muskogee, Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole, pre
dates European contact by centuries. This ancient ceremony traditionally occurs
(00:40):
during the final weeks of summer, when the corn first
becomes edible. More than just a harvest celebration, it serves
as a time of renewal, forgiveness and community building. The
ceremony can last several days, incorporating fasting, sacred dances, and
ritual cleansing. At its heart lies a profound message of gratitude,
not just for the corn, but for the intricate connections
(01:02):
between people, land, and spirit. Across the world, harvest festivals
share remarkable similarities despite their distinct cultural contexts. The Jewish
celebration of Sukkot, dating back to ancient times, commemorates both
the harvest and the exodus from Egypt. For seven days,
families construct temporary shelters called sukkahs, decorated with harvest fruits
(01:23):
and vegetables. They eat their meals in these structures, a
practice that connects modern celebrants with thousands of years of
agricultural and spiritual tradition. In East Asia, the mid Autumn festival,
celebrated in China, Vietnam, Korea, and other countries, traditionally marked
the end of the harvest season. Dating back over three
thousand years to China's Shang dynasty, this festival centers around
(01:46):
themes of gratitude, family, reunion, and abundance. The sharing of mooncakes,
the lighting of lanterns, and gathering with family all speak
to universal human desires to express thanks and strengthen community bonds.
But what about the story story we traditionally associate with
American Thanksgiving. The historical record of the sixteen twenty one
gathering shows a more complex picture than the familiar elementary
(02:08):
school pageant version. The three day event, which wasn't actually
called Thanksgiving at the time, involved approximately fifty English colonists
and ninety men from the Wampanoag tribe. Historical accounts, including
Edward Winslow's first hand description in Mort's Relation, tell us
the Native American delegation arrived after hearing celebratory gunfire. They
(02:29):
weren't initially invited to the colonist's harvest celebration. This has
been a quiet please production. Head over to quiet please
dot ai to hear what matters. The few surviving primary
sources suggest this gathering merged English harvest home traditions with
Native American diplomatic customs. The English colonists were celebrating their
(02:49):
first successful harvest in a new and challenging land. The Wampanoag,
led by Massasoid, had already experienced devastating losses from European
diseases and were carefully navigate aiding a complex political landscape.
Their participation represented both diplomatic pragmatism and their own long
standing traditions of marking successful harvests. The transformation of this
(03:11):
harvest celebration into our modern American Thanksgiving owes much to
one remarkable woman, Sarah Josepha Hale. As editor of Godey's
Lady's Book, the most widely circulated magazine in Antebellum America,
Hale wielded considerable cultural influence. Beginning in eighteen forty six,
she launched what would become a seventeen year campaign to
establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In her editorials and
(03:34):
private letters preserved in the archives of American periodicals, Hale
argued passionately that a unified Thanksgiving celebration could help heal
a increasingly divided nation. We have too few holidays, she
wrote in one of her many editorials, Thanksgiving, like the
Fourth of July, should be considered a national festival and
observed by all our people. Hale's letters to five consecutive presidents,
(03:56):
now preserved in the Library of Congress, reveal her person
assistant vision of Thanksgiving as a unifying force. She wrote
to Taylor Fillmore, Pierce Buchanan, and finally Lincoln, each time
refining her argument for why America needed this holiday. Her
letters included detailed suggestions for traditional recipes and customs, many
of which we still associate with Thanksgiving today. When Abraham
(04:17):
Lincoln finally proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in eighteen sixty three,
the country was in the midst of its bloodiest conflict.
The timing was not coincidental. Lincoln's proclamation, drafted by Secretary
of State William Seward, explicitly positioned Thanksgiving as a force
for unity and healing, even in the midst of Civil war.
The proclamation noted the nation had much to be grateful
(04:38):
for productive fields, abundant harvests, and growing industrial strength. The
holiday's evolution through American history reflects the nation's changing circumstances.
During the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century, elaborate
Thanksgiving menus published in newspapers and magazines showcased the period's
fascination with luxury and excess. Surviving menus from New York's
(04:59):
famous Delmanico's restaurant featured dozens of courses, while home cooking
magazines offered ambitious readers recipes for everything from turtle soup
to elaborate molded ice creams. The Great Depression brought a
stark shift in Thanksgiving celebrations. Newspaper archives from the period
show communities coming together to ensure everyone could participate in
the holiday. Soup kitchens serve turkey soup instead of whole turkeys,
(05:23):
stretching limited resources to feed as many as possible. The
Women's page of The New York Times regularly featured articles
about economical Thanksgiving menus and tips for stretching leftovers. World
War II transformed Thanksgiving into a powerful symbol of American identity.
The US government's War Advertising Council launched campaigns encouraging families
(05:43):
to save food so that more could be sent to
troops overseas. Life Magazines's wartime Thanksgiving issues featured photographs of
American soldiers celebrating the holiday and foxholes and military bases
around the world, while newspapers published advice about managing holiday
meals under rationing. The post war prosperity of the nineteen
fifties cemented many of our modern Thanksgiving traditions. This was
(06:06):
when the turkey industry really took off, with companies like
Butterball beginning their turkey hotlines. Television brought new Thanksgiving traditions
into American homes, from football games to the Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade, which had actually begun in nineteen twenty four.
But reached national prominence through TV broadcasts. The social movements
of the nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies brought new perspectives
(06:27):
on Thanksgiving's historical narrative. In nineteen seventy, the United American
Indians of New England established the National Day of Mourning,
observed on Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth Rock. This annual gathering
provides a platform for Native Americans to share their historical
perspective and honor their ancestors. The event continues today, drawing
participants from across the country and helping to broaden public
(06:50):
understanding of Native American history. The changing demographics of American
society have also transformed how Thanksgiving is celebrated. Census data
shows that between ninety eighteen seventy and twenty twenty, the
foreign born population in the United States more than quadrupled.
This demographic shift is reflected in the evolution of Thanksgiving menus.
(07:10):
The New York Times Food Section archives reveal an increasing
inclusion of international flavors and Thanksgiving recipes starting in the
nineteen eighties. Traditional Turkey shares table space with dishes reflecting
America's diverse cultural heritage, from Tamali's to baklava, kimchi to curry.
The rise of food media in the nineteen nineties brought
new attention to regional Thanksgiving traditions. Southern Living magazines archives
(07:34):
document distinctive Southern Thanksgiving traditions like cornbread dressing and bourbon
pecan pie. Meanwhile, publications like Sunset Magazine highlighted West Coast
celebrations incorporating local ingredients like sourdough, bread, dungeness crab, and
wine country influences. Technology has also shaped modern Thanksgiving celebrations.
The Butterball Turkey Talk Line, established in nineteen eighty one
(07:57):
with just six operators answering eleventh thousand calls in its
first year, now handles more than one hundred thousand questions
each November through calls, texts, social media, and even Amazon Alexa.
Their records provide a fascinating glimpse into changing American cooking
habits and concerns over the decades. The early two thousand
saw the emergence of friends giving, a term first appearing
(08:19):
in print around two thousand and seven. According to Merriam Webster.
This informal celebration among friends typically occurs before or after
the traditional Thanksgiving holiday and reflects changing social patterns, particularly
among younger Americans who often live far from their families.
Economic changes have also influenced how Americans celebrate. During the
two thousand and eight financial crisis, newspaper reports showed a
(08:41):
surge in potluck style celebrations and simplified menus. The Great
Recession also coincided with growing interest in local food movements,
leading to increased demand for heritage turkey breeds and locally
sourced ingredients, as documented by the National Turkey Federation's annual reports.
The COVID nineteen pandemic in twenty twenty forced perhaps the
(09:02):
most dramatic reimagining of Thanksgiving since the holiday's nationalization. According
to Gallop polls, nearly three to five Americans modified their
Thanksgiving plans that year. Virtual gatherings became commonplace, while recipe
websites reported unprecedented interest in smaller scale cooking instructions and
creative alternatives to traditional large gatherings. Environmental awareness has increasingly
(09:26):
influenced Thanksgiving celebrations in recent years. The Natural Resources Defense
Council reports that approximately two hundred million pounds of turkey
alone are wasted each Thanksgiving. This awareness has sparked new
traditions focusing on sustainability, from zero waste celebrations to plant
based alternatives. Sales data from major grossers shows a steady
(09:46):
increase in demand for vegetarian and vegan holiday options. Recent
years have also seen growing recognition of Native American perspectives
on Thanksgiving. Many educational institutions and cultural organizations now include
indigenous viewpoints in their Thanksgiving programming. The Smithsonian's National Museum
of the American Indian, for example, offers educational resources that
(10:08):
help contextualize the holiday within the broader scope of Native
American history and contemporary life. As we look to the future,
Thanksgiving continues to evolve while maintaining its core purpose as
a time for gratitude and gathering. The holiday's remarkable adaptability
from harvest celebration to national day of unity, from traditional
feasts to multicultural gathering speaks to its enduring relevance in
(10:31):
American life. Join us next week as we explore the
personal stories and family traditions that make this holiday uniquely
meaningful in contemporary America. This is beyond the bird untold
stories of thanks and gathering. The commercialization of Thanksgiving presents
another fascinating thread in the holiday's evolution. The connection between
Thanksgiving and retail shopping became formalized in nineteen thirty nine,
(10:53):
when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday one week earlier,
attempting to extend the Christmas shopping season during the Great Depression.
This controversial decision, dubbed Frank's Giving by critics, caused such
confusion that Congress passed the law in nineteen forty one,
officially setting Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. Black Friday,
(11:13):
a term first used in Philadelphia during the nineteen sixties
to describe the crushing crowds of suburban shoppers and tourists
flooding the city before the Army Navy football game, has
become inextricably linked with Thanksgiving. The Philadelphia Police Department's archived
reports from this period document their struggles managing the overwhelming
street traffic and crowds, leading to the day's now famous name.
(11:36):
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which began as a Christmas
promotion in nineteen twenty four, provides another window into the
holidays commercialization. The parade's archived records show its evolution from
a small procession of Macy's employees and animals borrowed from
the Central Park Zoo to today's spectacular featuring massive balloons
and elaborate performances. The first balloon, Felix the Cast, appeared
(12:00):
in nineteen twenty seven, setting a tradition that would become
one of America's most recognizable holiday spectacles. Meanwhile, the tradition
of presidential turkey pardoning, while often attributed to President Truman,
actually began in earnest with President George H. W. Bush
in nineteen eighty nine. However, the National Archives contained records
of turkey presentations to presidents dating back to the eighteen seventies,
(12:23):
with Abraham Lincoln's son Tad reportedly intervening to spare a
turkey's life in eighteen sixty three. Sports and Thanksgiving have
become deeply intertwined. The first Thanksgiving Day football game was
played in eighteen seventy six between Yale and Princeton, while
the NFL's Thanksgiving Day games began in nineteen twenty. The
Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since
(12:44):
nineteen thirty four, with the exception of nineteen thirty nine
to nineteen forty four during World War II. This tradition
began when Ga Richards, the first owner of the Detroit Lions,
scheduled the game as a way to attract fans to
his new team. Food banks and community service have become
integral to modern Thanksgiving celebrations. Feeding America's records show that
(13:05):
their network of food banks serves roughly forty six million
people around Thanksgiving. Many of these organizations trace their holiday
programs back to the settlement house movement of the early
twentieth century, when social reformers established community centers in poor
urban areas. The influence of food media has transformed how
Americans approach Thanksgiving cooking. Julia Child's nineteen seventy one Thanksgiving
(13:28):
episode of The French Chef introduced millions of viewers to
new techniques for preparing traditional dishes. Martha Stewart's first Thanksgiving
television special in nineteen eighty six set a new standard
for holiday entertaining that influenced a generation. Food Network's launch
in nineteen ninety three further revolutionized Thanksgiving preparation, with their
(13:49):
archives showing growing viewer numbers for holiday programming each year.
As we conclude our historical journey. It's worth noting that
Thanksgiving remains one of the few American holidays that has
managed to main its core purpose while adapting to changing times.
Unlike many other holidays, it has resisted complete commercialization, remaining
centered on the simple acts of gathering and expressing gratitude.
(14:12):
Today's Thanksgiving celebrations reflect both the continuity and change that
characterize American culture. While turkey remains the centerpiece for many,
The National Turkey Federation reports that preparations now range from
deep frying to brining, smoking to spatchcocking. Traditional side dishes
vary by region, with the Agriculture Department statistics showing sharp
(14:33):
geographical differences and preferences for stuffing versus dressing, sweet potato preparations,
and pie choices. As we look toward future Thanksgivings, emerging
trends suggest continued evolution. Market research indicates growing interest in
heritage ingredients, sustainable practices, and multicultural celebrations. Yet the essential
(14:54):
elements that Sarah Josepha Hale advocated for gratitude, unity, and
community continue to resonate across changing times and diverse celebrations.
Join us next week as we delve into the personal
stories and family traditions that make this holiday uniquely meaningful
in contemporary America. This is beyond the bird, untold stories
of thanks and gathering
Welcome to beyond the bird, untold stories of thanks and gathering.
I'm your host, and today we're starting at the beginning,
but maybe not the beginning you're expecting. Before we had
football games and Black Friday sales, Before that iconic Norman
Rockwell painting of Grandma serving turkey. Even before the pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock, humans have been gathering to express
(00:20):
gratitude for the harvest. It's a practice as old as
agriculture itself, and it crosses every cultural boundary we've ever drawn.
The Green Corn ceremony, still celebrated today by many Native
American tribes, including the Muskogee, Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole, pre
dates European contact by centuries. This ancient ceremony traditionally occurs
(00:40):
during the final weeks of summer, when the corn first
becomes edible. More than just a harvest celebration, it serves
as a time of renewal, forgiveness and community building. The
ceremony can last several days, incorporating fasting, sacred dances, and
ritual cleansing. At its heart lies a profound message of gratitude,
not just for the corn, but for the intricate connections
(01:02):
between people, land, and spirit. Across the world, harvest festivals
share remarkable similarities despite their distinct cultural contexts. The Jewish
celebration of Sukkot, dating back to ancient times, commemorates both
the harvest and the exodus from Egypt. For seven days,
families construct temporary shelters called sukkahs, decorated with harvest fruits
(01:23):
and vegetables. They eat their meals in these structures, a
practice that connects modern celebrants with thousands of years of
agricultural and spiritual tradition. In East Asia, the mid Autumn festival,
celebrated in China, Vietnam, Korea, and other countries, traditionally marked
the end of the harvest season. Dating back over three
thousand years to China's Shang dynasty, this festival centers around
(01:46):
themes of gratitude, family, reunion, and abundance. The sharing of mooncakes,
the lighting of lanterns, and gathering with family all speak
to universal human desires to express thanks and strengthen community bonds.
But what about the story story we traditionally associate with
American Thanksgiving. The historical record of the sixteen twenty one
gathering shows a more complex picture than the familiar elementary
(02:08):
school pageant version. The three day event, which wasn't actually
called Thanksgiving at the time, involved approximately fifty English colonists
and ninety men from the Wampanoag tribe. Historical accounts, including
Edward Winslow's first hand description in Mort's Relation, tell us
the Native American delegation arrived after hearing celebratory gunfire. They
(02:29):
weren't initially invited to the colonist's harvest celebration. This has
been a quiet please production. Head over to quiet please
dot ai to hear what matters. The few surviving primary
sources suggest this gathering merged English harvest home traditions with
Native American diplomatic customs. The English colonists were celebrating their
(02:49):
first successful harvest in a new and challenging land. The Wampanoag,
led by Massasoid, had already experienced devastating losses from European
diseases and were carefully navigate aiding a complex political landscape.
Their participation represented both diplomatic pragmatism and their own long
standing traditions of marking successful harvests. The transformation of this
(03:11):
harvest celebration into our modern American Thanksgiving owes much to
one remarkable woman, Sarah Josepha Hale. As editor of Godey's
Lady's Book, the most widely circulated magazine in Antebellum America,
Hale wielded considerable cultural influence. Beginning in eighteen forty six,
she launched what would become a seventeen year campaign to
establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In her editorials and
(03:34):
private letters preserved in the archives of American periodicals, Hale
argued passionately that a unified Thanksgiving celebration could help heal
a increasingly divided nation. We have too few holidays, she
wrote in one of her many editorials, Thanksgiving, like the
Fourth of July, should be considered a national festival and
observed by all our people. Hale's letters to five consecutive presidents,
(03:56):
now preserved in the Library of Congress, reveal her person
assistant vision of Thanksgiving as a unifying force. She wrote
to Taylor Fillmore, Pierce Buchanan, and finally Lincoln, each time
refining her argument for why America needed this holiday. Her
letters included detailed suggestions for traditional recipes and customs, many
of which we still associate with Thanksgiving today. When Abraham
(04:17):
Lincoln finally proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in eighteen sixty three,
the country was in the midst of its bloodiest conflict.
The timing was not coincidental. Lincoln's proclamation, drafted by Secretary
of State William Seward, explicitly positioned Thanksgiving as a force
for unity and healing, even in the midst of Civil war.
The proclamation noted the nation had much to be grateful
(04:38):
for productive fields, abundant harvests, and growing industrial strength. The
holiday's evolution through American history reflects the nation's changing circumstances.
During the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century, elaborate
Thanksgiving menus published in newspapers and magazines showcased the period's
fascination with luxury and excess. Surviving menus from New York's
(04:59):
famous Delmanico's restaurant featured dozens of courses, while home cooking
magazines offered ambitious readers recipes for everything from turtle soup
to elaborate molded ice creams. The Great Depression brought a
stark shift in Thanksgiving celebrations. Newspaper archives from the period
show communities coming together to ensure everyone could participate in
the holiday. Soup kitchens serve turkey soup instead of whole turkeys,
(05:23):
stretching limited resources to feed as many as possible. The
Women's page of The New York Times regularly featured articles
about economical Thanksgiving menus and tips for stretching leftovers. World
War II transformed Thanksgiving into a powerful symbol of American identity.
The US government's War Advertising Council launched campaigns encouraging families
(05:43):
to save food so that more could be sent to
troops overseas. Life Magazines's wartime Thanksgiving issues featured photographs of
American soldiers celebrating the holiday and foxholes and military bases
around the world, while newspapers published advice about managing holiday
meals under rationing. The post war prosperity of the nineteen
fifties cemented many of our modern Thanksgiving traditions. This was
(06:06):
when the turkey industry really took off, with companies like
Butterball beginning their turkey hotlines. Television brought new Thanksgiving traditions
into American homes, from football games to the Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade, which had actually begun in nineteen twenty four.
But reached national prominence through TV broadcasts. The social movements
of the nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies brought new perspectives
(06:27):
on Thanksgiving's historical narrative. In nineteen seventy, the United American
Indians of New England established the National Day of Mourning,
observed on Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth Rock. This annual gathering
provides a platform for Native Americans to share their historical
perspective and honor their ancestors. The event continues today, drawing
participants from across the country and helping to broaden public
(06:50):
understanding of Native American history. The changing demographics of American
society have also transformed how Thanksgiving is celebrated. Census data
shows that between ninety eighteen seventy and twenty twenty, the
foreign born population in the United States more than quadrupled.
This demographic shift is reflected in the evolution of Thanksgiving menus.
(07:10):
The New York Times Food Section archives reveal an increasing
inclusion of international flavors and Thanksgiving recipes starting in the
nineteen eighties. Traditional Turkey shares table space with dishes reflecting
America's diverse cultural heritage, from Tamali's to baklava, kimchi to curry.
The rise of food media in the nineteen nineties brought
new attention to regional Thanksgiving traditions. Southern Living magazines archives
(07:34):
document distinctive Southern Thanksgiving traditions like cornbread dressing and bourbon
pecan pie. Meanwhile, publications like Sunset Magazine highlighted West Coast
celebrations incorporating local ingredients like sourdough, bread, dungeness crab, and
wine country influences. Technology has also shaped modern Thanksgiving celebrations.
The Butterball Turkey Talk Line, established in nineteen eighty one
(07:57):
with just six operators answering eleventh thousand calls in its
first year, now handles more than one hundred thousand questions
each November through calls, texts, social media, and even Amazon Alexa.
Their records provide a fascinating glimpse into changing American cooking
habits and concerns over the decades. The early two thousand
saw the emergence of friends giving, a term first appearing
(08:19):
in print around two thousand and seven. According to Merriam Webster.
This informal celebration among friends typically occurs before or after
the traditional Thanksgiving holiday and reflects changing social patterns, particularly
among younger Americans who often live far from their families.
Economic changes have also influenced how Americans celebrate. During the
two thousand and eight financial crisis, newspaper reports showed a
(08:41):
surge in potluck style celebrations and simplified menus. The Great
Recession also coincided with growing interest in local food movements,
leading to increased demand for heritage turkey breeds and locally
sourced ingredients, as documented by the National Turkey Federation's annual reports.
The COVID nineteen pandemic in twenty twenty forced perhaps the
(09:02):
most dramatic reimagining of Thanksgiving since the holiday's nationalization. According
to Gallop polls, nearly three to five Americans modified their
Thanksgiving plans that year. Virtual gatherings became commonplace, while recipe
websites reported unprecedented interest in smaller scale cooking instructions and
creative alternatives to traditional large gatherings. Environmental awareness has increasingly
(09:26):
influenced Thanksgiving celebrations in recent years. The Natural Resources Defense
Council reports that approximately two hundred million pounds of turkey
alone are wasted each Thanksgiving. This awareness has sparked new
traditions focusing on sustainability, from zero waste celebrations to plant
based alternatives. Sales data from major grossers shows a steady
(09:46):
increase in demand for vegetarian and vegan holiday options. Recent
years have also seen growing recognition of Native American perspectives
on Thanksgiving. Many educational institutions and cultural organizations now include
indigenous viewpoints in their Thanksgiving programming. The Smithsonian's National Museum
of the American Indian, for example, offers educational resources that
(10:08):
help contextualize the holiday within the broader scope of Native
American history and contemporary life. As we look to the future,
Thanksgiving continues to evolve while maintaining its core purpose as
a time for gratitude and gathering. The holiday's remarkable adaptability
from harvest celebration to national day of unity, from traditional
feasts to multicultural gathering speaks to its enduring relevance in
(10:31):
American life. Join us next week as we explore the
personal stories and family traditions that make this holiday uniquely
meaningful in contemporary America. This is beyond the bird untold
stories of thanks and gathering. The commercialization of Thanksgiving presents
another fascinating thread in the holiday's evolution. The connection between
Thanksgiving and retail shopping became formalized in nineteen thirty nine,
(10:53):
when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday one week earlier,
attempting to extend the Christmas shopping season during the Great Depression.
This controversial decision, dubbed Frank's Giving by critics, caused such
confusion that Congress passed the law in nineteen forty one,
officially setting Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. Black Friday,
(11:13):
a term first used in Philadelphia during the nineteen sixties
to describe the crushing crowds of suburban shoppers and tourists
flooding the city before the Army Navy football game, has
become inextricably linked with Thanksgiving. The Philadelphia Police Department's archived
reports from this period document their struggles managing the overwhelming
street traffic and crowds, leading to the day's now famous name.
(11:36):
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which began as a Christmas
promotion in nineteen twenty four, provides another window into the
holidays commercialization. The parade's archived records show its evolution from
a small procession of Macy's employees and animals borrowed from
the Central Park Zoo to today's spectacular featuring massive balloons
and elaborate performances. The first balloon, Felix the Cast, appeared
(12:00):
in nineteen twenty seven, setting a tradition that would become
one of America's most recognizable holiday spectacles. Meanwhile, the tradition
of presidential turkey pardoning, while often attributed to President Truman,
actually began in earnest with President George H. W. Bush
in nineteen eighty nine. However, the National Archives contained records
of turkey presentations to presidents dating back to the eighteen seventies,
(12:23):
with Abraham Lincoln's son Tad reportedly intervening to spare a
turkey's life in eighteen sixty three. Sports and Thanksgiving have
become deeply intertwined. The first Thanksgiving Day football game was
played in eighteen seventy six between Yale and Princeton, while
the NFL's Thanksgiving Day games began in nineteen twenty. The
Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since
(12:44):
nineteen thirty four, with the exception of nineteen thirty nine
to nineteen forty four during World War II. This tradition
began when Ga Richards, the first owner of the Detroit Lions,
scheduled the game as a way to attract fans to
his new team. Food banks and community service have become
integral to modern Thanksgiving celebrations. Feeding America's records show that
(13:05):
their network of food banks serves roughly forty six million
people around Thanksgiving. Many of these organizations trace their holiday
programs back to the settlement house movement of the early
twentieth century, when social reformers established community centers in poor
urban areas. The influence of food media has transformed how
Americans approach Thanksgiving cooking. Julia Child's nineteen seventy one Thanksgiving
(13:28):
episode of The French Chef introduced millions of viewers to
new techniques for preparing traditional dishes. Martha Stewart's first Thanksgiving
television special in nineteen eighty six set a new standard
for holiday entertaining that influenced a generation. Food Network's launch
in nineteen ninety three further revolutionized Thanksgiving preparation, with their
(13:49):
archives showing growing viewer numbers for holiday programming each year.
As we conclude our historical journey. It's worth noting that
Thanksgiving remains one of the few American holidays that has
managed to main its core purpose while adapting to changing times.
Unlike many other holidays, it has resisted complete commercialization, remaining
centered on the simple acts of gathering and expressing gratitude.
(14:12):
Today's Thanksgiving celebrations reflect both the continuity and change that
characterize American culture. While turkey remains the centerpiece for many,
The National Turkey Federation reports that preparations now range from
deep frying to brining, smoking to spatchcocking. Traditional side dishes
vary by region, with the Agriculture Department statistics showing sharp
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geographical differences and preferences for stuffing versus dressing, sweet potato preparations,
and pie choices. As we look toward future Thanksgivings, emerging
trends suggest continued evolution. Market research indicates growing interest in
heritage ingredients, sustainable practices, and multicultural celebrations. Yet the essential
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elements that Sarah Josepha Hale advocated for gratitude, unity, and
community continue to resonate across changing times and diverse celebrations.
Join us next week as we delve into the personal
stories and family traditions that make this holiday uniquely meaningful
in contemporary America. This is beyond the bird, untold stories
of thanks and gathering
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