by The Forgotten Thanksgiving Traditions: Where Did the Past Go?
Ah, Thanksgiving—North America’s annual ode to stretchy pants, carb overloads, and pretending you like Aunt Carol’s gelatin salad. But while today’s Thanksgiving centers on turkey, football, and polite arguments over politics, the holiday wasn’t always this way. Our ancestors, it seems, had traditions that were either ahead of their time or… deeply questionable.
Let’s wade into the cranberry sauce of history and uncover the forgotten Thanksgiving Traditions. Spoiler alert: many were strange, some were delightful, and a few probably deserved to be left in the dust.
1. Thanksgiving Masquerades:
Back in the 19th century, Thanksgiving wasn’t just about gratitude—it was also about… weird costumes. In cities like New York, children and adults dressed in old clothes, often resembling beggars, and paraded around asking for money, candy, or anything not bolted down. Imagine Halloween but with fewer pumpkins and more pity.
Known as “Thanksgiving masking” or “Ragamuffin Day,” this early precursor to trick-or-treating fell out of favor by the mid-20th century when people realized that parading around like Dickensian street urchins wasn’t exactly festive. Besides, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade showed up, proving that professional costumes and giant balloons beat out amateur rags any day.
2. The Great Thanksgiving Shoot-Out
Nothing screams “gratitude” like grabbing your musket and taking potshots at a turkey. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Thanksgiving often included “turkey shoots,” where folks competed to win their holiday bird. Think of it as a high-stakes carnival game but with fewer prizes and more flying feathers.
Why did this tradition vanish? Well, modern supermarkets made getting a turkey easier (and less violent). Also, hauling a freshly shot bird through town probably didn’t scream “family values.” Today, we settle for arguing over whose store-bought turkey is juicier. Progress!
3. Stuffed Everything: A Culinary Inception
Sure, we still stuff turkeys today, but back then, they didn’t stop there. People stuffed their turkeys with smaller birds—like ducks, geese, or even pigeons. Yes, folks, meet the original “Turducken,” a glorious monstrosity of culinary excess.
Sometimes, this culinary creation included eggs or bread inside the smallest bird because cholesterol clearly wasn’t on the menu planners’ minds. The tradition fell out of favor because, honestly, who has time for that? Plus, the resulting food coma would be epic, even by today’s standards.
4. Thanksgiving “Exercises”:
Thanksgiving used to involve more than just a feast. In early America, it included long “thanksgiving exercises.” Sadly, these weren’t calorie-burning workouts to justify a second helping of pie. They were marathon church services involving prayers, sermons, and hours of sitting in hard pews.
Why did these exercises fade away? Because people realized there’s only so much solemn reflection you can endure with turkey waiting on the table. Today, the closest we get to such endurance tests is Uncle Bob’s overly detailed grace.
5. Thanksgiving Skating Parties:
In parts of 19th-century New England, Thanksgiving often kicked off winter with skating parties. Families would gather at frozen ponds, young folks would flirt while pretending not to fall, and everyone wore their finest (and warmest) clothes.
Why did this die out? Probably because it’s hard to enjoy skating when you have frostbite or Aunt Carol laughing at your face-plant. These days, we’ve replaced the ice with cozy fireplaces and pie—an excellent trade-off.
6. The Thanksgiving “Fast”:
Ironically, early Thanksgiving involved fasting. Yes, fasting. The Puritans, always the life of the party, believed in abstaining from food to focus on prayer and reflection. Nothing says gratitude like skipping lunch and fainting mid-sermon.
By the 19th century, this killjoy tradition gave way to the more appealing practice of binge-eating, because who can reflect properly without mashed potatoes? Today, we’ve embraced gluttony with open arms—and forks.
7. Popcorn Decorations:
Long before Netflix marathons, families entertained themselves by popping corn over an open fire. Kids would string the kernels into garlands to decorate their homes, creating festive decor and, inevitably, a snack war.
Popcorn garlands faded from tradition because decorating with food is impractical—someone always eats it. Also, Netflix came along and gave us better ways to bond, like watching people bake disasters on-screen.
8. Thanksgiving Without Turkey
Shockingly, turkey wasn’t always the star of the show. Early Thanksgivings featured whatever was locally available—venison, duck, or even lobster. Yes, lobster. Imagine the Instagram flex today: “Forget turkey; we went coastal.”
Turkey eventually took center stage because it was practical. A single bird could feed a family, and they were relatively easy to farm. Sorry, turkeys—you were delicious and expendable.
Why Traditions Fade—and Should Some Return?
Many of these customs disappeared because times changed. Supermarkets made hunting obsolete, central heating rendered skating parties unnecessary, and no one wants to sit through three hours of sermons when there’s stuffing to devour.
Could we bring some of these traditions back? Sure—if you’re brave enough to wear a ragged costume or wrestle a live turkey. But honestly, Thanksgiving’s charm lies in its adaptability. Each generation tweaks it to reflect their values, whether that’s family, football, or free-range stuffing.
So, this Thanksgiving, raise a glass to the traditions of yore. And give thanks that you’re not the one chasing turkeys with a musket. Unless, of course, you’re into that sort of thing. In which case, may your aim be true—and save us a slice of pie.
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