Top off your Thanksgiving dinner with a game of trivia featuring facts related to the origin, traditions and, of course, the turkey associated with the holiday.
TALKING TURKEY
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What do you call the process of pouring or squeezing juices over a turkey while it’s cooking to help keep it moist?
Basting
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According to the National Turkey Foundation, about how many turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving?
About 45-46 million
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Which state raises more turkeys than anywhere else in the U.S.?
Minnesota
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On average, how many questions does the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line field from callers during the holiday season?
100,000
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What is an adult male turkey called?
A tom
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Do male or female turkeys gobble?
Male
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True or false: Turkeys can fly.
True
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What is the name of the red flesh under the turkey’s beak?
Wattle
PILGRIM POINTS
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In what year did the Mayflower depart England for America?
1620 (September 6, 1620)
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How many passengers were on the Mayflower?
102
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How long was the first Thanksgiving celebration?
Three days
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What was the first official act of legislation by the Pilgrims?
The Mayflower Compact
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What Native American people joined the Pilgrims for the first Thanksgiving?
The Wampanoag
TV, MOVIES & MUSIC
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In what decade did “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” debut on television?
1970s (1973)
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What popular song’s real title is “The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day”?
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
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What 18-minute monologue is performed on many rock and classic rock stations every Thanksgiving?
Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant”
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What comedian performed “The Thanksgiving Song” that debuted on Saturday Night Live in 1992?
Adam Sandler
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Which “Friends” character hates Thanksgiving?
Chandler Bing
WHO AM I?
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Which U.S. founding father famously referred to turkeys as “a bird of courage?
Benjamin Franklin
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Which U.S. president first ordered a national day of Thanksgiving?
George Washington
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What notable Native American served as an interpreter between the Pilgrims and Native Americans?
Squanto
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Which U.S. president made Thanksgiving a permanent national holiday?
Abraham Lincoln
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Which U.S. president was the first to officially pardon a turkey?
George H.W. Bush
ON THE TABLE
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How many calories are in a typical holiday dinner?
Approximately 3000
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True or false: Pumpkins are vegetables.
False
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What’s the name of the horn-shaped basket filled with fruits and vegetables that’s commonly associated with Thanksgiving?
Cornucopia
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About how many pumpkin pies are consumed every Thanksgiving?
50 million
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What well-known food company introduced the recipe for Green Bean Casserole?
Campbell Soup Company
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Which state produces the most cranberries?
Wisconsin
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Which two pantry items are most commonly used to help thicken gravy?
Flour and cornstarch
SPORTS & LEISURE
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The Monday after Thanksgiving is what unofficial shopping holiday?
Cyber Monday
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Which two NFL teams have played a game on Thanksgiving Day since 1966?
Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys
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According to AAA, what state was the most popular Thanksgiving travel destination in 2024?
Florida (Orlando was the most popular city)
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True or false: According to retailer Macy's, roughly 1 million people attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York each year.
False. It’s an estimated 3.5 million.
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What sport uses the term “turkey”?
Bowling