Thanksgiving: From Myths to Traditions

Cranberry sauce. Mashed potatoes. Pumpkin pie. Turkey and stuffing. This is typically the tabletop image we conjure up when thinking about this late November holiday. And most of us know the textbook version of the Thanksgiving story. But are there common myths about this holiday? What are its real origins? How do other cultures celebrate it? And what do modern-day alternative Thanksgivings look like? Read on …

Historical Myths about Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving has become more commercialized over the years, is there a chance that the historical perspective has been skewed or perhaps some of the facts have been lost in translation? Here are 3 myths about the holiday you might not have known:

Myth 1: The Pilgrims wore black and white with buckled shoes and hats.
Fact: Buckles didn't come into fashion until later in the 17th century. Though it's impossible to know what exactly pilgrims wore during the meal, they usually wore black-and-white clothes only on Sundays. Women generally dressed in red, green, brown, violet, blue or gray, and the men wore white, beige, black, green and brown.

Myth 2: Pilgrims and Indians ate turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
Fact: Some scholars believe that venison and fish were more likely the main course of the historic meal. Additionally, the feast is suspected to have lasted for three days, not just one.

Myth 3: The first Thanksgiving was a spiritual, family event.
Fact: The event was celebrating the harvest and forging relations with the Wampanoag tribe.
Want more Thanksgiving know-how? Take the HowStuffWorks' Thanksgiving Quiz

Other Cultures' Thanksgiving Customs

So how have other cultures given thanks and celebrated harvests throughout the years? HowStuffWorks writer Allison Klein sheds some light:

• The ancient Greeks enjoyed a three-day festival to honor Demeter, the goddess of corn and grains.

• The Romans' celebration honored Ceres, the goddess of corn, and had festivals that included music, parades and sports as well as a feast.

• The Greeks and Romans share the tradition of the cornucopia, or “horn of plenty.” In Greek mythology, the cornucopia is an enchanted severed goat's horn, created by Zeus to produce a never-ending supply of whatever the owner desires.

• The ancient Chinese celebrated the harvest moon in a festival called Chung Ch'ui. The festival included a feast of yellow moon cakes.

• In Jewish culture, families celebrate a 3,000-year-old harvest festival known as Sukkoth.

• Ancient Egyptians had parades, music and sports during their harvest festival in honor of Min, the god of vegetation and fertility.

• Lammas Day, named for the Old English words for “loaf” and “mass” was celebrated in the British Isles. On Lammas Day, everyone would come to church with a loaf of bread made from the first wheat harvest. The church would bless the bread in thanks for that year's harvest.

Alternative Thanksgiving Ideas

Many of us are pretty traditional with our Thanksgiving customs, which usually include turkey, naps and football. But feel like mixing it up a bit? We've got some ideas, from straying from the menu to getting out of the house.

• Skip the turkey and try turducken or tofurkey.

• Step back in time and serve venison or fish – both are thought to be the served during the first Thanksgiving.

• Instead of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, collaborate with friends to make floats and have a parade in your own neighborhood.

• Have a neighborhood or backyard sporting event instead of watching football on TV.

• Go to the movies! The cinemas are usually pretty quiet on Thanksgiving Day, and you'll save money on popcorn because you'll already be full.
For more family-friendly ideas, see Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids from TLC and