Thanksgiving Myths

Sierra Van Houten, Staff Writer

Thanksgiving is a time where families get together to see each other and to eat until you fall asleep. We were always told some facts about Thanksgiving throughout our grade school years. What if I told you they might not be true? Here are five facts to set the record straight about everyone’s favorite holiday.

  1. The pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was held in the great state of Texas. Texans say that the first Thanksgiving was actually held in San Elizario (a community outside of El Paso) in 1598, 23 years before the annual pilgrims festival.
  2. Thanksgiving has nothing to do with religion. If it was about religion the native Americans would have never ate with the pilgrims. This is because the pilgrims would have never tolerated the culture of the native Americans.
  3. Pilgrims ate turkey. Pilgrims did not have the food supply like we have today. So their main course was venison or deer meat. They also did not have corn apples or potatoes.
  4. Pilgrims dressed in all black. This is so false. They did not dress in black or wear the stereotypical big hat and belt buckle either. Women wore long skirts of any color as long as it was modest. They also wore white shirts and they were long sleeved. The men wore a white linen shirt with a collar and a sweater on top of the shirt. They also wore baggy pants and knee high socks. Children (both male or female) wore gowns.
  5. Pilgrims hated fun. This is not true. They actually welcomed it. They enjoyed wearing happy colors and having a good time with their families.

This Thanksgiving if you want to show off your brain tell your family some of these cool, but still educational facts. Remember to have a happy but safe Thanksgiving!