Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving Day dinner or are attending as a guest, there's a whole lot that goes into the day. From cooking the turkey to entertaining the guests, it can feel like the day is a never-ending to-do list. While everyone is gathered around before the big meal, you may want to break out some fun Thanksgiving activities to keep everyone happy. There's the classics, such as playing a game of football, or curling up on the couch to watch the pros tackle one another on TV.
Now is the time of year to either start or continue your favorite Thanksgiving traditions with loved ones. As much as you cherish your friends and family, there's going to be some downtime during the day where you'll need a filler activity. That's where Thanksgiving trivia comes into play. We've rounded up 30 of the best trivia questions for everyone from kids to adults to test their knowledge of the holiday.
If you need some ice-breakers or just some fun questions to move the day along, check out our favorite trivia questions:
- Question: What meat was eaten on the first Thanksgiving? Answer: Swan, goose, duck and venison were commonly enjoyed meats. Turkey was nowhere in sight.
- Question: Which U.S. president was the first to pardon a Thanksgiving turkey? Answer: John F. Kennedy sent his Thanksgiving turkeys back to the farm in 1963, even after the turkey donned a sign reading, "Good Eating, Mr. President."
- Question: How long is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Answer: The entire route is only 2.5 miles long
- Question: Who declared Thanksgiving a national American holiday? Answer: George Washington designated the national Thanksgiving on Nov. 28, 1789.
- Question: On what month did the first Thanksgiving occur? Answer: Most scholars say it happened between September and early November, with most agreeing it was in late September.
- Question: How many turkeys are eaten during Thanksgiving? Answer: About 46 million.
- Question: How long was the first Thanksgiving celebration? Answer: Three days.
- Question: What is the busiest Thanksgiving travel day? Answer: The Sunday after the holiday is the busiest day to fly. According to Nerd Wallet, for every 100 people who fly on Thanksgiving Day, 177 people fly the Sunday after.
- Question: What percentage of people prefer the leftovers over the Thanksgiving meal? Answer: 80%.
- Question: Do both male and female turkeys gobble? Answer: No, only male turkeys make the gobble sound, since they're the only ones with gobblers.
- Question: How many people attended the first Thanksgiving feast? Answer: About 53.
- Question: How many cranberries are grown annually in the U.S.? Answer: Over 40,000 acres of cranberries are harvested annually.
- Question: What's the second most popular meat to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day? Answer: Ham.
- Question: How many cranberries are in 1 pound bag? Answer: Around 440 cranberries.
- Question: How many Americans consume turkey on Thanksgiving? Answer: An overwhelming 88% of people enjoy eating turkey. As for the rest? We'll assume they get their fill of delicious sides.
- Question: Do people really call the Butterball turkey talk line? Answer: Yes, and overwhelmingly so. About 100,000 people call in each year with their turkey-related questions.
- Question: How much pumpkin pie is consumed during November? Answer: Over 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed solely during the month, as it's the second most popular pie flavor.
- Question: How many people go shopping on Black Friday? Answer: 32 million people hit the stores the day after Thanksgiving to stock up on deals for the holiday season.
- Question: How many Americans take a road trip on Thanksgiving Day? Answer: About 50 million people load up the car on Thanksgiving Day to travel to family and friends' homes.
- Question: What is the most disliked Thanksgiving food? Answer: Cranberry sauce takes the top spot for the most hated. Ironically, green bean casserole and turkey round out the top three.
- Question: What are the top three things Americans are grateful for? Answer: Health, life and family were the top answers in 2021.
- Question: How long can you store an uncooked turkey in the freezer? Answer: A raw whole turkey will last up to two years, as long as its packaging is unopened.
- Question: How many Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower? Answer: Only 102 passengers arrived — and, sadly, only about half survived the first frigid winter.
- Question: Where was the oldest Thanksgiving parade hosted? Answer: While we all know about the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in Manhattan, the oldest parade was hosted in 1920 in Philadelphia. The Gimbel Brothers department store hosted the parade, with only 50 people in attendance.
- Question: Which U.S. president would not make Thanksgiving a holiday? Answer: Thomas Jefferson refused to make Thanksgiving a holiday due to his commitment to the separation of church and state. He also felt the decision about the holiday should be left to the states rather than on the federal level.
- Question: How much was the world's most expensive Thanksgiving dinner? Answer: The pricey feast is brought to you by New York City's Old Homestead Steakhouse and costs $181,000. There's enough food for 12 people, and the dishes include gold dust-covered turkey and sweet potatoes with Caspian Sea caviar.
- Question: Who was the first video game character to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Answer: Sonic the Hedgehog debuted his iconic blue fur at the 1993 parade. He's become a staple in almost every parade since.
- Question: What day is observed on the last Thursday of November? Answer: While Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the third Thursday of November, the National Day of Mourning is observed on the last Thursday. It recognizes the losses that the Native Americans suffered during the same time.
- Question: Which Native American helped the Pilgrims upon their arrival? Answer: The Native American Squanto acted as an interpreter between the tribes and the Pilgrims. He also taught the Pilgrims farming techniques, such as how to fertilize the soil.
- Question: Which NFL teams have played on Thanksgiving Day since 1966? Answer: Both the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit typically plays the earlier game, while Dallas plays later in the afternoon.
- Question: What year did the first Thanksgiving celebration take place in Plymouth, Massachusetts? Answer: 1621
- Question: Which president officially established Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the United States? Answer: Abraham Lincoln
- Question: What Native American tribe is famously associated with the Pilgrims during the first Thanksgiving? Answer: Wampanoag
- Question: Which traditional Thanksgiving foods were not present at the first Thanksgiving feast? Answer: Potatoes and cranberries
- Question: In what month is Canadian Thanksgiving celebrated? Answer: October
- Question: Which president is credited with starting the tradition of pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey? Answer: Harry S. Truman
- Question: What is the name of the Native American festival that is often considered a precursor to the modern Thanksgiving celebration? Answer: Harvest Festival
- Question: What is the term for the decorative centerpiece made from a bundle of wheat stalks, corn, and other harvested crops? Answer: Cornucopia
- Question: What is the technical term for the part of the turkey people call a wishbone? Answer: Furcula
- Question: How long was the first Thanksgiving celebration? Answer: Three days
- Question: Which President declared two Thanksgivings in one year? Answer: James Madison
- Question: Which President received a live raccoon as a Thanksgiving present? Answer: Calvin Coolidge
- Question: How many Americans prefer Thanksgiving leftovers to Thanksgiving dinner? Answer: About 80 percent
- Question: Do Americans prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie? Answer: Apple pie
- Question: On average, how many people attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade each year? Answer: About 3.5 million
