Knock, knock! Who’s there? Anita. Anita who? Anita bigger pair of pants, I ate too much on Thanksgiving.
We see you. Youre the one laughing out loud at these dumb-but-funny Thanksgiving jokes. Even if you arent, were guessing you at least cracked a smile. How could you not? Dad jokes are seriously the best and since its Thanksgiving and all, who cant use a little extra humor?
Fortunately, weve got all the corny jokes, knock-knocks and funny puns on turkey, parades, Pilgrims and everything else Turkey Day-related that you need to get through the holiday. And we guarantee, once you start telling these bad-but-good jokes, friends and family will be absolutely pie-ning for more.
Notice how we slid in yet another Thanksgiving pun right there? We cant help it because now that it tis the season, theres no better way to celebrate than with a few ho-ho-hos.
Since were sure youll agree, weve collected the best of the best Thanksgiving jokes for telling around the dinner table, during football commercials or anytime you want to give your guests pumpkin, er, we mean something to laugh about.
The best part? Theres no fowl language involved. Just good clean fun for kids and adults this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and filling ourselves to the brim with delicious food It’s also a time for cracking silly jokes and enjoying laughter together One of the most classic Thanksgiving jokes is “What did the turkey say to the ham?” The joke pokes fun at two centerpiece dishes of the Thanksgiving meal – the turkey and the ham. In this article, we’ll explore the origins of this funny joke and why it remains so popular after all these years.
A Brief History of the Joke
Historians aren’t quite sure when the “What did the turkey say to the ham?” joke first emerged. However, we do know that both turkey and ham have been Thanksgiving staples since the very first feast in 1621. The Wampanoag Native Americans who attended that first Thanksgiving brought deer meat while the pilgrims contributed birds and pork.
Over time, roasted turkey became the traditional main course as pigs and other livestock became more plentiful in the colonies. And baked ham persisted as a tasty accompaniment to the bird. So it’s no wonder inventive colonists started joking about the turkey and ham conversing with each other at the Thanksgiving table.
The first known publication of the joke was in 1929, over 300 years after the first Thanksgiving feast. A Montana newspaper called the Choteau Acantha printed this version:
“Knock knock””Who’s there?””Ham””Ham who?””Ham glad Thanksgiving is here!”
Since then, variations on the joke have appeared in numerous joke books, comedy routines, and family gatherings. It remains a humor staple because of the classic knock-knock structure and the joke’s focus on two essential Thanksgiving foods.
Why Do We Find This Joke Funny?
There are a few key reasons why the “turkey and ham” joke continues to make us laugh after all these years:
Personification – By pretending the turkey and ham can talk to each other, we personify the food in an amusing way. It adds a dash of silliness to the holiday.
Wordplay – The joke relies on simple puns like “ham” sounding like “ham” or playing on the word “thank.” Puns create surprise cognitive shifts that make us chuckle.
Familiarity – We’ve likely heard variations of the joke many times. This familiarity makes it nostalgic and extra funny each year. Humor from repetition is a key tenet of many family traditions.
Relatability – Since turkey and ham are keystone Thanksgiving dishes, joking about them feels relevant to our lived experiences. The absurdity reveals truth we recognize.
So the joke works because it mixes the right doses of personification, wordplay, familiarity, and relatability. It takes familiar food items and gives them a hilariously absurd interaction using the classic call-and-response knock-knock structure.
Modern Takes Keep It Fresh
While the basic structure stays the same, jokes often evolve with the times. Here are some more modern versions of “What did the turkey say to the ham?”:
Turkey: Knock knock
Ham: Who’s there?
Turkey: It’s me, the turkey
Ham: Oh, it’s so nice to meat you!
Turkey: Hello ham, nice to meet you!
Ham: Wow, you too! Now let’s get basted.
Turkey: Hey ham, want to hear a Thanksgiving joke?
Ham: Sure!
Turkey: Knock Knock
Ham: Who’s there?
Turkey: No one now because you’ve been eaten.
These versions add some millennial snark and dark humor to breathe new life into the classic joke. They play on modern slang like “nice to meat you” and the existential dread of being eaten for Thanksgiving dinner. The core pun remains satisfying while the other elements stay fresh and surprising.
Bringing People Together
At its heart, the “turkey and ham” joke represents the joy of gathering for Thanksgiving. It celebrates our quirky food traditions and pokes gentle fun at the whole endeavor. The joke allows us to be silly as we reflect on what we’re grateful for. It invites everyone to the table to chuckle together as we stuff ourselves. The jokes lighten the mood and remind us not to take the holiday or ourselves too seriously even amid stressful family dynamics.
So this Thanksgiving when you gather with loved ones, feel free to trot out this vintage punchline. Put your own spin on it while passing the gravy. The joke allows us to bridge generations through shared laughter and gratitude. And that’s something we could all use more of these days.
Thanksgiving jokes for kids
- Did you hear about pumpkin pie that apologized? It was a piece offering.
- Whats blue and covered in feathers? A turkey holding its breath.
- What does the turkey do on the computer? Google, Google!
- What do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving? Lucky!
- What did the Thanksgiving turkey say to the Christmas ham? Nice to meat you.
- What do cows do on Thanksgiving? Eat dinner and watch a moo-vie.
- What do sweet potatoes wear to bed? Yammies.
- What do you need to make Thanksgiving smores? Pil-grahms.
- If fruit comes from fruit trees, where do turkeys come from? Poul-trees.
- How do little pumpkins cross the road? With a crossing gourd.
- Why is corn so popular on Thanksgiving? Because it’s a-maize-ing.
- What should you expect at the end of Thanksgiving? The letter “g.”
- What comes at the beginning of parades? The letter “p.”
- If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims.
- Did you hear about the scarecrow who won first prize? It was outstanding in its field.
- What did the Pilgrims use to make cookies on Thanksgiving? May flour.
- What smells the best on Thanksgiving? Your nose.
- Why don’t side dishes tell jokes? They’re too corny.
- Where did the Pilgrims stand after landing on Plymouth Rock? On their feet.
Thanksgiving jokes for adults
- What did one pumpkin pie say to the other? You wanna piece of me?
- What do you call a sad cranberry? A blueberry.
- What did the autumn leaf say to the tree? I’m falling for you.
- Did you hear about the Thanksgiving engagement ring? It’s 24 carrots.
- What happens when potatoes drink too much? They get mashed.
- What kind of music do Pilgrims listen to? Plymouth rock.
- Why did the cranberry blush? It saw the turkey dressing.
- Why should you never tell secrets in a cornfield? Because the corn has ears.
- What did the pumpkin say to the squash? Oh my gourd!
- What did the scarecrow wear to Thanksgiving? A har-vest.
- What’s the best way to fix a broken pumpkin? Use a pumpkin patch.
- What did one turkey say to the other? Let’s get basted!
- How do Pilgrims kick a bad habit? They stop cold turkey.
- Knock, knock! Whos there? Norma Lee. Norma Lee who? Norma Lee I dont eat this much.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Arthur. Arthur who? Arthur any more cranberries?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Annie. Annie who? Annie body want pumpkin pie?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Argue. Argue who? Argue going to pass the gravy or what?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Gwen. Gwen who? Gwen is Thanksgiving dinner? I’m hungry!
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Dewey. Dewey who? Dewey have to sit at the kid’s table again?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Dozen. Dozen who? Dozen anybody else want pie?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Mustache. Mustache who? I mustache you to carve the turkey.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Aida. Aida who? Aida lot of food and now I’m stuffed.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Noah. Noah who? Noah good pumpkin pie recipe?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Harry. Harry who? Harry up, I’m hungry!
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Holly. Holly who? Holly-days are the best time of year.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you going to pass the gravy?
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Anita. Anita who? Anita nap, I’m stuffed!
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Hatch. Hatch who? Sorry you’ve got a cold on Thanksgiving!
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Justin. Justin who? Justin time for dessert.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Lettuce. Lettuce who? Lettuce in, it’s Thanksgiving.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Anita. Anita who? Anita bigger pair of pants, I ate too much on Thanksgiving.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? A herd. A herd who? A herd you were hosting Thanksgiving this year.
- Knock, knock! Who’s there? Tanks. Tanks who? Tanksgiving is here!
what did the turkey say to the ham?
FAQ
Why is it a good idea to buy more turkey than ham for the same number of Thanksgiving guests?
Why is ham juicier than turkey?
Where did turkey ham come from?
Why do we eat turkey and ham on Thanksgiving?
What did the Turkey say to the man who shot it?
They’re dead.” What did the turkey say to the man who tried to shoot it? “Liberty, equality, and bad aim for all!” What do you get if you breed a turkey with an octopus? Eight feather dusters. Two moms and two daughters are at a Thanksgiving table, but there are only three people at the table. How is it possible?
Is the turkey stuffed?
The turkey is stuffed. Holly’s grandmother came to visit for Thanksgiving. When she knocked on the door, Holly answered. “I’m so happy to see you, Grandma,” she said. “Thank you, Holly. Me, too.” “Now, maybe Dad will do that trick he was talking about.” “What trick?” The grandmother asked, bewildered.
What do you call a Turkey who is bad at Bowling?
In a brain forest. What do you call a turkey who’s bad at bowling? A gutterball. What do you call a running turkey? Fast food. What was the turkey looking for at the toy store? Gobbleheads. What does a turkey use to tell the future? A crystal butterball. What would you get if you crossed a turkey with a ghost? A poultry-geist!