The Thanksgiving holiday is steeped in tradition – family, friends, football, floats, and of course, a feast featuring a stuffed and roasted turkey as the centerpiece. But have you ever wondered why the guest of honor, the turkey itself, never seems to get an invitation to the very dinner held in its name? This peculiar paradox has baffled hungry humans for years.
As I dug into this mystery, I uncovered some fascinating facts. It turns out there are a variety of theories that may explain the turkey’s notable absence from the Thanksgiving table.
The Turkey as the Main Course
One of the most obvious reasons is that the turkey simply can’t attend the meal because it is the meal. For many families, turkey has become so synonymous with Thanksgiving that it’s hard to imagine the holiday table without one. From its succulent white and dark meat to the crisp golden skin, the turkey is treasured for its mouthwatering flavors and versatility.
Whether roasted, deep fried, grilled or prepared in any number of ways, the turkey is undoubtedly the star of the Thanksgiving meal. Its meat adorns platters, piles high between slices of bread for leftovers, and adds richness to soups and casseroles. With the turkey in such high demand, there’s clearly none left to invite as a dining guest!
The Turkey as a Humble Animal
Another explanation points to the turkey’s humble nature. Unlike predators like eagles that represent power and majesty, turkeys are seen as more commonplace birds that tend to live on the ground. Their plump bodies and goofy gobbles make them seem foolish rather than fearsome.
Some accounts indicate that Native Americans did not even consider turkeys to be adequate as food, instead hunting more prized game. So perhaps the turkey’s perceived lowliness rendered it unfit to take a seat at the Thanksgiving table among human diners. Its role was simply to be served as sustenance.
The Turkey as a Sacred Symbol
From another perspective, the turkey was so revered by certain cultures that eating it would have been unthinkable. Native American tribes are said to have valued turkeys as a spiritual symbol and messenger. Some of the earliest European settlers were so impressed by the wild turkey’s beauty that they refused to hunt it.
If the turkey was idealized as a sacred animal not to be harmed, it follows that cooking and eating the turkey would have been unacceptable. The only way to properly honor the turkey might have been to exempt it from the dinner menu and keep it absent from the table.
Practical Reasons for Exclusion
Beyond theories about the turkey’s status, there are also some basic practical explanations. First, wild turkeys can be aggressive and territorial creatures. Having a live turkey at an indoor dinner table could be chaotic, with loud vocalizations and posturing to defend its space. That’s not very conducive to a peaceful, enjoyable meal!
Secondly, butchering and cooking a whole turkey requires quite a bit of effort and time. Preparing the turkey in advance relieves some pressure and allows the focus to be on sides, desserts, and mingling with guests. A raw, feathered turkey ambling about isn’t the picture of holiday hospitality.
The Turkey as the Butt of Jokes
Finally, because the turkey is such an iconic symbol of Thanksgiving, it has not escaped being the subject of jokes and puns related to the holiday. Knock-knock jokes wonder why the turkey didn’t show up to dinner, limericks poke fun at the turkey for foolishly ending up decimated and devoured, and cartoons depict the turkey in absurd situations.
The lighthearted ridicule of the turkey in comedy and parody helps further shape the notion that it just doesn’t have a dignified place at the table as an honored guest. To include it would dampen the silly spirit of the jokes themselves.
So while we may never know the true, original reason the turkey was left off the guest list, these many theories help make sense of this quirky Thanksgiving tradition. As you gather with loved ones this season and carve into the golden turkey, take a moment to appreciate the humble bird and its mysterious exclusion from dinner. Maybe next year consideration can be made to save a seat for its sake!
Here Are A Few Fun Thanksgiving Riddles For Kids:
- Who is never hungry on Thanksgiving?
- At Thanksgiving dinner, which hand should you butter your roll with?
- What should you wear to Thanksgiving dinner?
- What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?
- Where does Christmas come before Thanksgiving?
- I can be hot or cold, I can be made with fruit, vegetable, or meat but either way, you see it, on a Thanksgiving table I will be a treat. What am I?
- Can a turkey fly higher than an ostrich?
- Why did the turkey cross the road?
- What key doesn’t open any door?
- It is time for Thanksgiving, I don’t know if you’d heardThis means it’s time to gobbleThis very tasty bird. What is it?
- I have eyes but I can’t see, I have skin but I can’t feel anything I can be sweet but I’m not a piece of candy I can be baked but I’m not a cake I can be peeled but I’m not a carrot
- Why did the turkey run across the road?
- Why was the turkey banned from the cornfield?
- What are unhappy cranberries called?
- Why are pilgrims’ pants always falling down?
- What’s the thing that smells the best at the Thanksgiving table?
- I am a key that can walk, but I am a key that can’t open doors. What am I?
- April showers bring May flowers, so what do May flowers bring?
- Why was the turkey arrested?
- Why did the cranberries go red?
- Why shouldn’t you share secrets in the cornfield?
- What’s the best place to put the Thanksgiving turkey?
- When the Pilgrims got off the Mayflower, where did they land?
- What happened to the Turkeys that fought with each other?
- The turkey wasn’t allowed inside the church. Why?
- Where did the first corn come from?
- What did the daddy turkey say to the naughty little turkey?
- Which side of a turkey has more feathers?
- What’s a turkey’s favorite song before Thanksgiving?
- If Christmas makes you jolly and Halloween makes you scary, what do you feel on Thanksgiving?
- If a donkey has a key and a turkey has a key, what do you think a monkey has?
- What do pumpkins and gourds love to play?
- It took 4 people 4 hours to make pumpkin pie, so how many hours will it take 6 people to make pumpkin pie?
- If a turkey says gobble, gobble, gobble and an astronaut says Hubble, Hubble, Hubble. Then, what would a computer say?
- If apples and figs come from a tree in a farm, where do turkeys come from?
- I can be carved, I can be baked,
- What do you see at the end of Thanksgiving?
- What do Vampires celebrate in fall?
- Why did the pilgrims cross the road?
- Why did the pilgrims eat the candle?
Answer: The turkey, because it’s always stuffed
Answer: Neither – you should use a knife
Answer: A har-vest!
Answer: Plymouth Rock
Answer: In the dictionary
Answer: Pie
Answer: Yes because ostriches can’t fly
Answer: Because Thanksgiving was right around the corner.
Answer: Tur-key
Answer: Turkey
Answer: Potato
Answer: He wanted to get away from Thanksgiving!
Answer: Because he would gobble it up!
Answer: Blueberries.
Answer: Their belts are on their hats.
Answer: Your nose
Answer: A turkey
Answer: The pilgrims
Answer: the Police suspected fowl-play!
Answer: Because they saw the turkey dressing.
Answer: Because corns have ears!
Answer: Your mouth!
Answer: On their feet.
Answer: They got the stuffing knocked out of them.
Answer: He used fowl language.
Answer: The Cornfield!
Answer: If your mama could see you now, she’d turn over in her gravy!
Answer: The outside.
Answer: God save the Kin!
Answer: Stuffed!
Answer: A banana.
Answer: Squash.
Answer: None, the pie is already made.
Answer: Google, Google, Google.
Answer: A poul-tree farm.
I can be crushed and into a latte I can be made. From Halloween to Thanksgiving, my patch you will raid. What am I? Answer: Pumpkin.
Answer: The letter “g.”
Answer: Fangsgiving.
Answer: To catch the Turkey!
Answer: They wanted a light snack!
Looking to boost your kids learning of words during the holiday, try this Thanksgiving crossword puzzle for kids.
Frequently Asked Questions on Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids
Here are some of the thanksgiving riddles for kids such as why wasn’t the turkey allowed inside the church? Why are cranberries red? Why did the police arrest the turkey? What is the name of unhappy cranberries? The turkey crossed the road. Why?
Why do people eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
FAQ
Why was turkey chosen for Thanksgiving dinner?
What is the significance of the turkey dinner?
Why turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner?
Why turkey became Christmas dinner?
Why do we eat turkey every Thanksgiving?
As touched on above, in all likelihood you serve and eat turkey every Thanksgiving for reasons that have nothing to do with what was on the Pilgrim’s first feast table. That leaves one question. What was served and enjoyed at the first Thanksgiving? The following are some likely probabilities.
Do Americans eat turkeys on Thanksgiving?
According to Real Simple, the turkeys served at Thanksgiving dinners up until the early 1900s tended to be wild fowl, much skinnier than the turkeys we eat today. Modern Thanksgiving turkeys are farm-raised, often in indoor lots, and are bred for ample breast meat. Why do US presidents pardon turkeys?
Are turkeys a good Thanksgiving dinner?
Besides being big, plentiful, and gradually incorporated into popular images of the holiday’s history, turkeys have another advantage as a Thanksgiving dinner: they’re cheap. Per Britannica, turkeys have always been a reasonably priced bird for the family looking for a good holiday meal, and they became cheaper in the modern era.
Was a turkey served on the first Thanksgiving?
According to Plimoth Plantation, most recorded accounts of the first Thanksgiving say absolutely nothing specific about a turkey being served. Most of them simply say that “fowl” was served, as well as various other proteins like wild venison. For instance, Englishman Edward Winslow had this to say: