Happy Thanksgiving! As you are shopping and preparing for the holiday, here are some fun facts you may or may not already know. These may come in handy if things get awkward over dinner ("Who invited Uncle Porridge?").
1. The first Thanksgiving took place over a three day period.
2. You wouldn't find mashed potatoes, pumpkin pies, popcorn, corn on the cob, or cranberries at the first Thanksgiving feast. More likely, the feast would have included lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, onions, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese.
3. Sarah Josepha Hale, magazine editor and author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb," convinced Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday.
4. Abraham Lincoln issued a "Thanksgiving Proclamation" in October 1863 to officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving.
5. In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations.
6. The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.
7. Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.