Happy Thanksgiving from our team to you! We hope you’re having a warm, cozy holiday free from too much stress and with a lot of family fun and togetherness.
Did you know that Americans didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time every year until 1941? Abraham Lincoln first proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, but it wasn’t until President Franklin Roosevelt signed an order declaring Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year that we had an actual date?
Thanksgiving has changed over the years, but getting together in our homes to enjoy each other’s company, turkey, sides, and sports is where it is today. And what better way for us to celebrate Turkey Day than give you some facts about Thanksgiving. Here are some of our favorite interesting facts about Turkey Day:
No one knows when cornucopias began being used as Thanksgiving decorations
According to Good Housekeeping, no one’s sure when this symbol of bountiful harvests began being a common centerpiece at our Thanksgiving table. We know why: cornucopias are a symbol of a bountiful harvest and abundance. Plus they’ve been used in harvest festivals since time immemorial.
Turkey wasn’t on the menu for the First Thanksgiving
Better Homes and Gardens says the only written account of the First Thanksgiving comes from William Bradford, a pilgrim on the Mayflower. He documented that the Pilgrims and Wampanoag served duck and venison alongside cornmeal, cabbage, and seafood. The first Thanksgiving was a three-day harvest celebration. After that, Thanksgiving was celebrated informally, particularly in New England, until the Civil War.
Why The Detroit Lions play every Thanksgiving game?
The time-honored tradition of watching our local sports team play every Turkey Day started in the 1930s according to Sporting News.com. George A. Richards, then-owner of the team, used his marketing prowess and a radio station he owned to broadcast the football game on Thanksgiving in 1936. Said radio station was an affiliate of NBC, then a national radio broadcasting network. They agreed to broadcast the game between the Lions and the Bears. The broadcast was so popular, Thanksgiving football became a tradition, and that’s why we watch the Lions play every Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving open houses
If you thought the peak time for buying and selling your house was during the summer, you’d be right. However, Forbes recommends hosting an open house on Thanksgiving weekend, calling it a smart move. The pros they list include beating freezing temperatures, attracting only serious buyers, and can be a precursor to the bump in home sales in January.
If you’re getting ready to sell your house next year, now is also a good time to go through an inspection, and make sure your windows, siding, roofing, and more are up to snuff. Could your home could need a repair before you put it on the market? Give us a call today. If you know what you need to fix before selling, receive a free estimate here. Have a happy Thanksgiving!