Thanksgiving by the Numbers

THANKSGIVING BY THE NUMBERS The first Thanksgiving was a 3-DAY harvest feast held by the founders of the PLYMOUTH COLONY IN 1621. Governor William Bradford It was attended by 53 COLONISTS AND SENT 4 MEN TO HUNT BIRDS for the feast, and the Wampanoag 90 WAMPANOAG. contributed 5 deer. Venison Goose Swan Lobster Shellfish THEN Duck Pumpkin (not pie) Stuffing Corn Turkey Yams / Sweet Potatoes NOW Cranberry Sauce Potatoes Ham Pie Americans eat an average of NEARLY 88% OF AM ERICANS Close to 46 MILLION TURKEYS ARE EATEN AT THANKSGIVING, 13.3 POUNDS OF TURKEY PER YEAR. eat turkey at Thanksgiving. compared and 19 million at Easter. 22 million Chr THANKSGIVING CHRISTMAS EASTER SUPER STORE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE BLACK FRIDAY In 2011, some 226 million people Started in 1924 by Macy's employees, the parade once featured live animals such as camels, goats, donkeys, lions, elephants, bears and tigers. Giant helium balloons replaced this menagerie in 1927. went shopping on Black Friday weekend, spending $52 billion. NEARLY 25% OF BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPERS THE AVERAGE SHOPPER SPENT NEARLY $400. hit the stores by midnight. MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION SPECTATORS OVER 120 MILLION AMERICANS watch the parade in person, and OVER 50 MILLION VIEWERS WATCH ON TELEVISION. now shop online on CYBER MONDAY. Blowing up the parade's 15 large balloons takes nearly 300,000 CUBIC FEET OF HELIUM. That's the volume of 3.4 OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOLS. A COLLABORATION BETWEEN HISTORY.COM AND COLUMN FIVE SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, Plimoth Plantation, National Turkey Federation, Encyclopaedia Britannica, U.S. National Archives, National Retail Federation, Macy's, American History: The Early Years to 1877. Richard Broussard. McGraw- Hill, A History of Us: From Colonies to Country. Joy Hakim. Oxford University Press. America The Story of Us: An Illustrated History. Kevin Baker. Melcher Media.