Here are some really interesting facts about the Thanksgiving...
According the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the United States at Thanksgiving. That number represents one sixth of all the turkeys sold in the U.S. each year!
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird.
President Abraham Lincoln established the original date for America's National Thanksgiving Day celebration in 1863.
President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of establishing a national “Thanksgiving Day.”
Congress did not declare Thanksgiving a national holiday until 1941.
Domesticated turkeys cannot fly, however wild turkeys can fly up to 55 miles per hour over short distances.
Only male (tom) turkeys gobble. Females make a clicking noise. The famous gobble is actually a seasonal mating call.
Americans feast on 535 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving.
A turkey's field of vision is 270 degrees--one of the main reasons they're able to elude some hunters.
The average age of the Mayflower passenger was 32. The oldest Mayflower passenger was 64.
The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed in at 86 pounds – about the size of a German Shepherd! (But turkeys are normally not used as police animals.)
A turkey under 16 weeks of age is called a fryer. A five to seven month old turkey is called a roaster.
The Turkey Trot, a ballroom dance in the 1900s, was named for the short, jerky steps of the turkey. It became popular mainly because it was denounced by the Vatican as "suggestive."
Contrary to popular belief, the Pilgrims did not have big buckles on their clothing, shoes, or hats.
Buckles did not come into fashion until the late 1600s – more appropriate for the Salem Witchcraft trial time period.
The average person consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. (Now that's a lot of turkey!)
There was no milk, cheese, bread, butter or pumpkin pie at the original Thanksgiving Day feast.
The cranberry got its name because the pale pink blossoms on the plant resembled a crane’s head and neck. The name craneberry stuck, eventually becoming cranberry.
Fresh cranberries are ideal for cranberry sauce. Cranberries of the highest quality will always bounce! (If you try this at home, please wash the cranberries before eating.)
Source: 1800flowers.com , Interesting Facts
Showing posts with label occasions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label occasions. Show all posts
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Cinco de Mayo Facts
Here are some cool facts about Cinco de Mayo...
US states including Texas and California celebrate Cinco de Mayo as well, with some huge events where everyone (not just those of Mexican descent) joins in. Parades, traditional music and clothing, delicious Mexican food, Mexican dances; the events are numerous and always fun.
Many people think that it's the same day as Mexican Independence Day, but that's not true. The very name of Cinco de Mayo belies that false fact, however. "Cinco de Mayo" means "Fifth of May" in Spanish.
People wear red, white and green, the Mexican national colours, and traditional clothes. For the women, this means long and wide flowing skirts.
If the Battle of Puebla had not been won by the Mexicans, France would have aided the South in the American Civil War, and US history might look quite different.
The largest Cinco de Mayo event in the world is actually in Los Angeles, where over 600,000 participants celebrate. Other large festivals that draw hundreds of thousands of participants are located in St. Paul's, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado.
You're sure to see the Mexican flag everywhere on this day! The flag has three colors, each of which actually symbolizes something. Green is the color of hope and the resistance, while the red represents Spain and unity. The white stands for purity and religion. The symbols of the eagle and snake in the center of the flag are based on a Mexican legend.
Some nontraditional events held to celebrate Cinco de Mayo include a skydiving event near Vancouver, BC and an air guitar competition in the Cayman islands.
Over 29 million Americans, or 10 percent of the total American population, are of Mexican origin as of 2007. Perhaps this is why Cinco de Mayo is so widely celebrated in the USA!
Source: helium.com
US states including Texas and California celebrate Cinco de Mayo as well, with some huge events where everyone (not just those of Mexican descent) joins in. Parades, traditional music and clothing, delicious Mexican food, Mexican dances; the events are numerous and always fun.
Many people think that it's the same day as Mexican Independence Day, but that's not true. The very name of Cinco de Mayo belies that false fact, however. "Cinco de Mayo" means "Fifth of May" in Spanish.
People wear red, white and green, the Mexican national colours, and traditional clothes. For the women, this means long and wide flowing skirts.
If the Battle of Puebla had not been won by the Mexicans, France would have aided the South in the American Civil War, and US history might look quite different.
The largest Cinco de Mayo event in the world is actually in Los Angeles, where over 600,000 participants celebrate. Other large festivals that draw hundreds of thousands of participants are located in St. Paul's, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado.
You're sure to see the Mexican flag everywhere on this day! The flag has three colors, each of which actually symbolizes something. Green is the color of hope and the resistance, while the red represents Spain and unity. The white stands for purity and religion. The symbols of the eagle and snake in the center of the flag are based on a Mexican legend.
Some nontraditional events held to celebrate Cinco de Mayo include a skydiving event near Vancouver, BC and an air guitar competition in the Cayman islands.
Over 29 million Americans, or 10 percent of the total American population, are of Mexican origin as of 2007. Perhaps this is why Cinco de Mayo is so widely celebrated in the USA!
Source: helium.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Interesting Facts about Cristmas Trees
Here are some interesting facts about the Christmas trees.
Every year about 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are being sold across the United States.
The best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.
About 100,000 people are employed in the Christmas tree industry.
More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre and almost all trees require shearing to have Christmas tree shape.
It takes several minutes to shear each tree.
Shearing gives the bush the beautiful shape of Christmas tree.
Trees are ready for harvest at a height of 6 to 7 feet.
Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.
Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air.
The top branch of the Christmas tree, where the angel goes, is called the leader. The length of the leader determines the actual shape of the tree and quite often it is responsible for the sale of tree.
After surviving heavy rains, hail storms and drought, a Christmas tree takes 6 to 10 years to mature.
98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms.
Source: christmascarnivals.com
Every year about 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are being sold across the United States.
The best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.
About 100,000 people are employed in the Christmas tree industry.
More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre and almost all trees require shearing to have Christmas tree shape.
It takes several minutes to shear each tree.
Shearing gives the bush the beautiful shape of Christmas tree.
Trees are ready for harvest at a height of 6 to 7 feet.
Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.
Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air.
The top branch of the Christmas tree, where the angel goes, is called the leader. The length of the leader determines the actual shape of the tree and quite often it is responsible for the sale of tree.
After surviving heavy rains, hail storms and drought, a Christmas tree takes 6 to 10 years to mature.
98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms.
Source: christmascarnivals.com
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