Thanksgiving is Turkey day -from 1621 to 2009

You might be in the Turkey trot in Grand Junction, Colorado; Running jogging or casual walking for the benefit of the Grand Junction Fire Department.

You might be watching a 70th annual Turkey Day Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game, 19th time with Detroit Lions.

You might be watching The Macy Day Thanksgiving parade Turkey Float with family while your turkey is baking to a golden brown.

Whatever your family custom is, the Stately Turkey will surely flaunt his greenish, bronze feathers and handsome fan on Thanksgiving games, parade, run, greeting cards, place cards, table cloths and napkins.

There are many stories of the Pilgrims' first harvest that state flatly that roast turkey was part of the feast. Governor Bradford, in his book about Plymouth said that large numbers of water fowl and turkeys appeared at the approach of winter. He never said that they were eaten at the feast.

Only in a letter sent to England by Pilgrim Edward Winslow was an account where he wrote that the governor had sent four men out fowling. In one day, he said, they brought back enough to feed everyone for about a week.

Winslow's letter indicated that along with fish and venison, the Pilgrims and their Native American guests must have enjoyed roast turkey as well as duck and geese.

In the second year at Plymouth, the Pilgrims had started to tame and raise wild turkeys. From then until the early 1900s many American backyards held vegetable patches and hen coops. Families raised their own chickens and Thanksgiving turkey. As towns grew larger and the standard of living rose, people began to buy their eggs and poultry.

Today, of all the Thanksgiving symbols, the turkey is the only one that, by itself, suggests the holiday.

Enjoy your Turkey day,
R.R.Cratty

More Thanksgiving History for your family: Keep Reading at: http://www.examiner.com/x-2016-Parenting--Education-Examiner~y2009m11d24-From-1621-to-2009-Thanksgiving-is-Turkey-Day-for-families