5 Fun Facts For Thanksgiving
It’s time for food, family, and football! Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving in some capacity for hundreds of years. Here are a few facts about this American holiday you may not have known:
#1A Delicious Imposter
The wild turkeys usually depicted in Thanksgiving art (and created from the traced hands of children) don’t look like the domesticated turkeys bought and sold at supermarkets. While genetically the same, turkeys raised for your Thanksgiving table are much heavier and unable to fly. 1
#2Pass the Pigeon
Speaking of turkey, it would not have been the main dish the first Thanksgiving. While wild turkeys may have been served, other wild fowl, pigeons, venison, shellfish, flint corn, turnips, pumpkins, and meat pies would have been on the table as well. 2
#3Get a Day Job
Since the day after Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday shopping season, Thanksgiving also marks an uptick in employment, owing to seasonal and temporary jobs. 3
#4Dinner’s not Cheap
Americans spend nearly $2.4 billion on Thanksgiving dinner—that’s quite the feast! 4
#5Turkeys are Bullish
For the past 50 years, stock prices, on average, have posted a slight gain in the three trading days before Thanksgiving. Always remember, past performance does not guarantee future results! 5
Do you have any Thanksgiving trivia or traditions you’d like to share? Let me know!
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 2015
- Smithsonian.com, 2015
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
- Statistic Brain Research Institute, 2015. (For 2013, the most recent statistics available.)
- USA Today, November 25, 2015. For the period between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 2014. Stocks are represented by the S&P 500 Composite index,
an unmanaged index that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market. Index performance is not indicative of the past performance of a particular investment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Individuals cannot invest directly in an index. The return and principal value of stock prices will fluctuate as market conditions change. And shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2016 FMG Suite.