Approximately 46 million turkeys will be eaten at Thanksgiving.
The average weight of a turkey purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.
Many people report drowsiness after eating Thanksgiving dinner. While turkey often receives the blame, studies suggest that carbohydrate-rich meals may cause sleepiness by increasing the number of tryptophans in the brain.
Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented the President of the United States with a live turkey and two dressed turkeys in celebration of Thanksgiving.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
Benjamin Franklin, who proposed the turkey as the official United States bird, was dismayed when the bald eagle was chosen over the turkey.
