Surprising Facts You Never Knew About Thanksgiving

When you think of Thanksgiving, what comes to mind? Is it a golden-brown turkey, a mountain of mashed potatoes, the scent of pumpkin pie, or the chaotic joy of a family gathering? For many, this holiday is a cornerstone of American culture, a day steeped in tradition and gratitude.

But what if I told you the story you know is just one slice of the pie?

The history of Thanksgiving is a sprawling, global saga filled with royal drama, political maneuvering, and hotly contested claims. It’s a holiday celebrated on different days, for different reasons, by people all over the world. So, before you settle in for your feast, let’s carve into the fascinating, and often surprising, truth about this beloved holiday.

It’s a Global Affair, Not Just an American Feast

While Americans claim the fourth Thursday of November, Thanksgiving is far from a U.S.-exclusive event. Think of it as a worldwide festival of gratitude with many different flavors. Our neighbors to the north in Canada celebrate their Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October, a date set to avoid a clash with Armistice Day after World War I. Their reason for the earlier date? The harvest season ends sooner up there, thanks to the colder climate.

But the guest list doesn’t stop there. Thanksgiving is also observed in:

• Brazil: On the same day as the U.S., a tradition started in 1949 after an ambassador was inspired by the American commemorations.
• Liberia: On the first Thursday of November, a tradition brought over by freed American slaves who founded the country.
• Germany: Known as Erntedankfest (Harvest Thanksgiving Festival), it’s a primarily religious celebration on the first Sunday of October.
• Norfolk Island, Australia: On the last Wednesday of November, a charming custom introduced by visiting American whaling ships.

These are just a few examples. From Saint Lucia to Switzerland, giving thanks for the year’s blessings is a shared human tradition, even if the menu and calendar date look a little different.

The “First Thanksgiving” is Still a Hotly Debated Topic

You’ve probably seen the paintings: Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing a peaceful harvest meal at Plymouth in 1621. While that event did happen, calling it the “First Thanksgiving” is a bit of a historical hornet’s nest. In fact, several other locations have a stronger, or at least earlier, claim to the title.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy actually issued a proclamation acknowledging that our forefathers in both Virginia and Massachusetts set aside a time for thanksgiving. The Virginia claim points to a ceremony held on December 4, 1619, at Berkeley Plantation, where English settlers arrived and their charter specifically required them to observe the day yearly as a day of thanks.

But wait, there’s more! Some historians argue the real first Thanksgiving service in the U.S. was held by Spanish explorers in St. Augustine, Florida, way back in 1565—a full 56 years before the Plymouth event. Others point to a service in San Elizario, Texas, in 1598. The truth is, the Plymouth story didn’t become the dominant narrative until the 19th century, when it was retroactively labeled the “first” and woven into America’s founding mythology.

The Famous Pilgrim Feast Wasn’t Even a “Thanksgiving”

Let’s go back to that iconic 1621 Plymouth gathering. While it was a three-day festival to celebrate a good harvest with the Wampanoag people, the Pilgrims themselves wouldn’t have called it a “Thanksgiving.” For them, a day of thanksgiving was a solemn, religious observance involving prayer and fasting, not feasting. It was a specific church-centered event called in response to a direct act of providence, like rain ending a drought.

The 1621 event was more of a secular harvest festival. The story of this feast was largely forgotten for centuries until a book published in 1841 included a footnote calling it “the first Thanksgiving.” From there, the legend grew, eventually merging with the religious Thanksgiving tradition to create the holiday we know today.

Thanksgiving’s Roots Lie in Royal Drama and Religious Rebellion

To understand where Thanksgiving really came from, you have to rewind to 16th-century England. Before the Protestant Reformation, the calendar was packed with nearly 100 Church holidays. When King Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church, he and his successors began to reform the calendar.

This wasn’t enough for a radical group known as the Puritans. They wanted to eliminate all church holidays—including Christmas and Easter—believing they were tainted by paganism. Their solution? Replace them with specially called “Days of Fasting” for times of trouble and “Days of Thanksgiving” for moments of divine blessing. These weren’t annual parties; they were spontaneous calls to prayer. For instance, a Day of Thanksgiving was declared after the English victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. This is the tradition the Pilgrims and Puritans brought with them to the New World.

A 19th-Century Influencer Made Thanksgiving a National Holiday

So, how did a sporadic religious observance become a fixed national holiday? You can thank Sarah Josepha Hale. A popular magazine editor and author (she also wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), Hale was a 19th-century powerhouse. She believed a national day of Thanksgiving could help unify a country deeply divided over slavery.

For nearly 40 years, she waged a relentless campaign, writing letters to presidents, governors, and politicians, urging them to establish a national Thanksgiving Day. She envisioned a holiday that would bring American families together, no matter their location or political leanings. Her persistence finally paid off during one of the nation’s darkest hours.

Abraham Lincoln Made It Official During the Civil War

In 1863, with the Civil War raging, President Abraham Lincoln saw the wisdom in Hale’s vision. Looking for a way to foster a sense of unity and hope, he issued a proclamation declaring the final Thursday in November as a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise.”

His proclamation called on Americans to give thanks for the blessings of a fruitful year, but it also asked them to pray for the “healing of the wounds of the nation.” It was a deeply political and emotional act, using a day of gratitude as a tool to look past the bloodshed and envision a unified future. It wasn’t until Reconstruction in the 1870s that the holiday was truly celebrated nationwide.

A President Once Changed the Date and Caused Chaos

For decades, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday of November, just as Lincoln had intended. Then came President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. At the urging of retailers worried the late Thanksgiving would shorten the Christmas shopping season during the Great Depression, FDR signed a proclamation moving the holiday up by a week.

The public reaction was immediate and fierce. The move created chaos, as people had already made travel plans and schools had set their vacation schedules. The new holiday was mockingly dubbed “Franksgiving.” The country was split: some states adopted the new date, others stuck with the old one, and a few—Colorado, Mississippi, and Texas—boldly celebrated both. After two years of confusion, Congress stepped in. On December 26, 1941, it passed a joint resolution that officially established the fourth Thursday in November as the legal Thanksgiving Day, a rule that has remained ever since.

“Friendsgiving” is a Modern Twist on an Old Tradition

You’ve likely heard of or even hosted a “Friendsgiving.” This newish tradition, where friends gather for a Thanksgiving meal separate from family celebrations, has exploded in popularity in the 21st century. While it feels like a modern invention for millennials, the concept of a community harvest meal is as old as the holiday itself. The 1621 Plymouth feast was, at its heart, a community gathering. “Friendsgiving” simply updates that original spirit, reminding us that the family we choose is just as worthy of a feast and gratitude.

Some Countries Celebrate “Thanksgiving” for Totally Different Reasons

Sometimes, a name is just a name. Several countries have a holiday called “Thanksgiving” that has absolutely no connection to harvests or Pilgrims.

• Grenada: In this Caribbean nation, Thanksgiving Day is on October 25. It marks the anniversary of the 1983 U.S.-led invasion that restored order after a violent government coup.
• Japan: Labor Thanksgiving Day (Kinrō Kansha no Hi) is a national holiday on November 23. It evolved from an ancient Shinto harvest ceremony but was reframed after World War II to celebrate labor, production, and mutual gratitude.

So, as you gather around your table this year, take a moment to appreciate the incredible, winding journey this holiday has taken. It’s a story of faith, politics, perseverance, and the universal human need to pause and give thanks. No matter how or when you celebrate, you’re taking part in a tradition that’s far bigger and more fascinating than you ever imagined.