Thanksgiving trivia questions
Thirty Thanksgiving trivia questions with answers, about the food, the history, the parade and the football. Read them out while the turkey rests, then put a food party game on the TV for after dinner.
- Bluff Buffet2-12 · TV
After the trivia, a game the whole table can play on their phones. Free.
- Impasta3-10 · Pack
Everyone got pumpkin pie, except whoever got sweet potato pie.
The questions
- US Thanksgiving falls on which day?The fourth Thursday of November
- Which president made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863?Abraham Lincoln
- Which magazine editor wrote letters for years asking for a national Thanksgiving?Sarah Josepha Hale
- When is Canadian Thanksgiving?The second Monday of October
- Which president moved Thanksgiving a week earlier in 1939?Franklin D. Roosevelt
- What is New York City's big Thanksgiving parade called?The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
- In what year did the Macy's parade start?1924
- Which state raises the most turkeys?Minnesota
- What is a male turkey called?A tom, or gobbler
- What is a baby turkey called?A poult
- Which state grows the most cranberries?Wisconsin
- Cranberries are grown in what?Bogs and marshes
- What does the president do with a turkey every November?Pardons it
- Sweet potato casserole is often topped with what?Marshmallows
- Green bean casserole was created in a test kitchen at which company?Campbell's
- What ship did the Pilgrims sail on?The Mayflower
- Which people shared the 1621 harvest feast with the Pilgrims?The Wampanoag
- Who led the Wampanoag at the 1621 feast?Massasoit
- Which two NFL teams host a game every Thanksgiving?The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys
- What do two people pull apart to make a wish?The wishbone
- What is the snood on a turkey?The flap of skin that hangs over its beak
- What is the shopping day after Thanksgiving called?Black Friday
- What temperature should turkey reach to be safe to eat?165°F
- About how long does a frozen turkey take to thaw in the fridge?A day for every 4 to 5 pounds
- Stuffing cooked outside the bird is often called what?Dressing
- The cornucopia is also called what?The horn of plenty
- Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?A fruit, botanically
- Which pie is the classic Thanksgiving dessert?Pumpkin pie
- What fruit is traditionally made into a sauce for the turkey?Cranberries
- Which country celebrates Thanksgiving in October?Canada
Making it a game
Play in family teams: kids against grown-ups works well. Let the kids' team skip one question for a new one.
For more ideas for the day, see Thanksgiving games for the whole table.
Questions
- What are good Thanksgiving trivia questions for kids?
- The food ones: what bird is on the table, what's on top of sweet potato casserole, what a baby turkey is called. They're near the middle of the list.
- When is Thanksgiving?
- In the US it's the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada it's the second Monday of October.