Holiday Ayo - If you have ever visited the United States (US) during Thanksgiving or just seen this tradition from Hollywood movies, then you may be aware of the existence of the iconic roast turkey.

Several countries in the world celebrate Thanksgiving at different times. One of the most famous is Thanksgiving in the United States.

Thanksgiving is a celebration of thanksgiving in the US which falls on the 4th Thursday of November each year. This year, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday (24/11/2022). This celebration has been going on for a long time since the 16th century when it was celebrated as a thanksgiving after the autumn harvest, as reported by Britannica.

Thanksgiving is now designated as a national holiday and is an opportunity for US people to gather with their families while enjoying special dishes.

Turkey is one of the most popular Thanksgiving dishes. Some people even call it a mandatory food. Why is Thanksgiving synonymous with turkey?

source: Boombastis

Turkeys are believed to have been absent when the first Thanksgiving took place. The moment that is known as First Thanksgiving does not show the presence of turkey on the dinner table. The Wampanoag tribe, who was present at the Thanksgiving celebration, brought venison, while the British colonists (Pilgrims) who participated were said to have brought wild fowl.

There is a possibility that the poultry brought by the colonials was turkey. However, historians think that the fowl was either a duck or a goose. Turkey started to become a popular Thanksgiving dish in the 19th century for many reasons that followed.

Firstly, the number of turkeys is quite large. An unnamed expert estimates that there were at least 10 million turkeys in the US at the time.

Turkey is also considered a poultry that is almost always available in family owned farms and ready for slaughter. In addition, turkeys are larger than other poultry, so they are considered sufficient to feed a family.

In contrast to turkeys, other farm animals, such as chickens and cows, still produce eggs and milk and are therefore considered more useful.