Pop Culture Thanksgiving Trivia Quiz
Thanksgiving Trivia Quiz Questions
(answers)
1. How many feathers does a typical adult turkey have?
2. Which sport is traditionally watched on Thanksgiving in the United States?
3. Which year did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?
4. What was the ship’s name that brought the Pilgrims to America?
5. Which Native American tribe celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims?
6. In Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, what mode of transportation does NOT break down during the trip?
7. Which actor plays Del Griffith in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?
8. What does Snoopy (& Woodstock) serve at the Thanksgiving meal in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
You get one point for each of the four items you can name.
9. What is a male turkey called?
10. Which U.S. president moved the date of Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November to increase holiday shopping?
11. What meat did the Pilgrims and Native Americans likely eat at the first Thanksgiving?
12. Which Friends character gets their head stuck in a turkey?
13. How fast can a wild turkey run?
14. Which country celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October?
15. How long does it take to defrost a 20-pound turkey in the refrigerator?
16. Name the seasonal song by Adam Sandler that became famous on Saturday Night Live.
17. What alternative to the bald eagle did Benjamin Franklin famously propose as a national symbol?
18. What year did the first official “Turkey Pardon” take place?
19. In the TV show The Simpsons, what is the name of the Thanksgiving episode where Bart accidentally ruins the family dinner?
20. Who is responsible for officially “pardoning” the turkey annually?
21. How many calories does the average person consume on Thanksgiving Day?
22. What sound do male turkeys make that females do not?
23. What sound does a female turkey make?
22. How many turkeys are typically pardoned by the President each year?
24. How many pounds of turkey are consumed by Americans each Thanksgiving?
25. How much does the average Thanksgiving turkey weigh?
26. What famous American historical figure once refused to declare Thanksgiving a holiday, calling it unnecessary?
27. Which president declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?
28. How much does the average American spend on Thanksgiving dinner?
29. Which state was the first to adopt Thanksgiving as an annual holiday?
30. How many hours of television do Americans watch on average on Thanksgiving Day?
31. What popular Thanksgiving side dish uses marshmallows as a topping?
32. Which department store chain sponsors the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
33. What city hosts the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the U.S.?
34. In what decade was canned cranberry sauce first sold in the U.S.?
35. What state has an official “Turkey Capital” of the world?
36. What do Americans call the day after Thanksgiving?
37. In what year did Thanksgiving become an official U.S. holiday?
38. What percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
39. What is the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in the United States?
40. What dance is performed by the Radio City Rockettes in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
41. What do you call a group of wild turkeys?
42. What is the name of the long-running Thanksgiving Day parade in Detroit?
43. What U.S. state named the wild turkey its official state game bird?
44. What meat was President Abraham Lincoln’s family served for Thanksgiving dinner?
45. What was the original reason for the first Thanksgiving celebration?
46. Which professional sport has a league that pauses for Thanksgiving to honor the holiday?
47. What year was the green bean casserole invented?
48. What is the name of the Thanksgiving song written by Lydia Maria Child?
49. In which book by Louisa May Alcott do characters celebrate a Thanksgiving feast?
50. What Thanksgiving dish inspired the first-ever TV dinner?
51. Who was the governor of the Plymouth colony during the first Thanksgiving?
52. What city hosts an annual Thanksgiving Day race called the Turkey Trot?
53. Which Thanksgiving food has the fewest calories per serving: mashed potatoes, stuffing, or cranberry sauce?
54. What red berry is a Thanksgiving staple often made into a sauce?
55. What is the term for a baby cranberry?
56. What type of plant do cranberries grow on?
57. Which U.S. state raises the most cranberries?
58. Which Thanksgiving food was found at the site of the original Jamestown colony?
59. What cartoon character has most appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
60. Which American holiday did Sarah Josepha Hale campaign for over 30 years to make official?
66. How many pumpkin pies are typically consumed on Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
67. Who painted Freedom from Want, a famous Thanksgiving scene?
68. What is the top online search for Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
69. What type of pie is most associated with Thanksgiving today?
70. Which popular dish was probably NOT served at the first Thanksgiving?
71. How long did the first Thanksgiving celebration last?
72. What is the traditional main course at Canadian Thanksgiving?
73. What year was A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first aired on television?
74. What do some Native Americans observe on Thanksgiving instead of celebrating?
75. What vegetable often used in Thanksgiving dinners was once thought to have poisonous leaves?
76. What day is Thanksgiving held in Canada?
77. What is the heaviest turkey ever recorded?
78. What utensil did the Pilgrims likely not use during the first Thanksgiving?
79. What is Butterball’s Turkey Talk Line?
80. What famous Thanksgiving float character debuted in the Macy’s parade in 1968?
81. What is a baby turkey called?
82. What was the first famous Thanksgiving float character in the Macy’s parade in 1927?
83. What is the red, fleshy part of a turkey’s beak called?
84. What year did Butterball start the Turkey Talk Line?
85. What cooking method became popular in the 2000s for preparing Thanksgiving turkeys?
86. How many hours should a turkey cook if it weighs 20 pounds?
87. What state consumes the most turkey per capita during Thanksgiving?
88. What popular social media platform sees a surge in Thanksgiving recipe searches?
89. Which African country celebrates Thanksgiving with family gatherings in August?
90. This famous 19th-century author’s Thanksgiving stories were widely published in magazines. Name her.
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Sarah Josepha Hale also wrote a poem (that became a song) that most people still know today. Name that tune.
2. Which TV show has an episode called “Slapsgiving”?
3. What Broadway Musical features a song called “Turkey Lurkey Time”?
4. True or False: Turkeys can fly.
5. Which NFL player holds the record for most rushing yards on Thanksgiving?
6. Which part of the turkey changes color depending on its mood?
7. On Friends, what dish does Rachel accidentally make with beef?
8. What was the first television show to feature a Thanksgiving-themed episode?
9. What year was the first Thanksgiving football game televised?
10. What is the name of the Native American who helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter?
Thanksgiving Trivia Quiz Answers
1. How many feathers does a typical adult turkey have?
About 5,000
2. Which sport is traditionally watched on Thanksgiving in the United States?
Football
3. Which year did the Pilgrims celebrate the first Thanksgiving?
1621
4. What was the ship’s name that brought the Pilgrims to America?
The Mayflower
5. Which Native American tribe celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims?
The Wampanoag
6. In Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, what mode of transportation does NOT break down during the trip?
Train
7. Which actor plays Del Griffith in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?
John Candy
8. What does Snoopy (& Woodstock) serve at the Thanksgiving meal in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving?
You get one point for each of the four items you can name.
Toast, popcorn, pretzels, and jelly beans
9. What is a male turkey called?
A tom
10. Which U.S. president moved the date of Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November to increase holiday shopping?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
11. What meat did the Pilgrims and Native Americans likely eat at the first Thanksgiving?
Deer (venison), not turkey
12. Which Friends character gets their head stuck in a turkey?
Monica, in a flashback
13. How fast can a wild turkey run?
Up to 20 mph
14. Which country celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October?
Canada
15. How long does it take to defrost a 20-pound turkey in the refrigerator?
About 4-5 days
16. Name the seasonal song by Adam Sandler that became famous on Saturday Night Live.
The Thanksgiving Song
17. What alternative to the bald eagle did Benjamin Franklin famously propose as a national symbol?
The national bird of the United States.
18. What year did the first official “Turkey Pardon” take place?
1989 (Some presidents did pardon turkeys informally earlier)
19. In the TV show The Simpsons, what is the name of the Thanksgiving episode where Bart accidentally ruins the family dinner?
Bart vs. Thanksgiving
20. Who is responsible for officially “pardoning” the turkey annually?
The President of the United States
21. How many calories does the average person consume on Thanksgiving Day?
Around 4,500
22. What sound do male turkeys make that females do not?
Gobble
23. What sound does a female turkey make?
Cluck
22. How many turkeys are typically pardoned by the President each year?
Two (one main turkey and one alternate)
24. How many pounds of turkey are consumed by Americans each Thanksgiving?
About 46 million
25. How much does the average Thanksgiving turkey weigh?
15 pounds
26. What famous American historical figure once refused to declare Thanksgiving a holiday, calling it unnecessary?
Thomas Jefferson
27. Which president declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?
Abraham Lincoln
28. How much does the average American spend on Thanksgiving dinner?
Around $50–$60 (This figure varies by year, based on food cost data from the American Farm Bureau Federation)
29. Which state was the first to adopt Thanksgiving as an annual holiday?
New York
30. How many hours of television do Americans watch on average on Thanksgiving Day?
7 hours (with football and holiday specials being popular)
31. What popular Thanksgiving side dish uses marshmallows as a topping?
Sweet potato casserole
32. Which department store chain sponsors the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Macy’s
33. What city hosts the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the U.S.?
Philadelphia (Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade started in 1920)
34. In what decade was canned cranberry sauce first sold in the U.S.?
The 1910s (The first commercial canned cranberry sauce appeared in 1912 by Ocean Spray)
35. What state has an official “Turkey Capital” of the world?
Minnesota (Minnesota produces the most turkeys in the U.S., though multiple cities claim the “Turkey Capital” title)
36. What do Americans call the day after Thanksgiving?
Black Friday
37. In what year did Thanksgiving become an official U.S. holiday?
1863
38. What percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
About 88% (According to the National Turkey Federation)
39. What is the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in the United States?
Mashed potatoes
40. What dance is performed by the Radio City Rockettes in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The kickline (The Rockettes perform their famous kickline)
41. What do you call a group of wild turkeys?
A rafter or flock
42. What is the name of the long-running Thanksgiving Day parade in Detroit?
America’s Thanksgiving Parade.
43. What U.S. state named the wild turkey its official state game bird?
Alabama
44. What meat was President Abraham Lincoln’s family served for Thanksgiving dinner?
Turkey (Lincoln’s family reportedly served turkey, which he officially designated for Thanksgiving celebrations)
45. What was the original reason for the first Thanksgiving celebration?
To celebrate a successful harvest
46. Which professional sport has a league that pauses for Thanksgiving to honor the holiday?
The NBA and NHL traditionally have no games on Thanksgiving Day.
47. What year was the green bean casserole invented?
1955. The iconic dish was created by Dorcas Reilly at the Campbell Soup Company as a quick and simple side.
48. What is the name of the Thanksgiving song written by Lydia Maria Child?
Over the River and Through the Wood
49. In which book by Louisa May Alcott do characters celebrate a Thanksgiving feast?
Little Women
50. What Thanksgiving dish inspired the first-ever TV dinner?
Leftover turkey. In 1953, Swanson created the TV dinner after overestimating their turkey supply and finding a creative way to use the surplus.
51. Who was the governor of the Plymouth colony during the first Thanksgiving?
William Bradford
52. What city hosts an annual Thanksgiving Day race called the Turkey Trot?
Buffalo, NY (One of the oldest Turkey Trots, held since 1896)
53. Which Thanksgiving food has the fewest calories per serving: mashed potatoes, stuffing, or cranberry sauce?
Cranberry sauce (Typically, cranberry sauce has fewer calories than traditional stuffing and mashed potatoes)
54. What red berry is a Thanksgiving staple often made into a sauce?
Cranberries
55. What is the term for a baby cranberry?
There isn’t a specific term for a “baby cranberry,” though it’s called a “cranberry bud” before it matures.
56. What type of plant do cranberries grow on?
Cranberries grow on vines.
57. Which U.S. state raises the most cranberries?
Wisconsin
58. Which Thanksgiving food was found at the site of the original Jamestown colony?
Corn (maize) (Corn was widely cultivated by Native Americans and found by settlers)
59. What cartoon character has most appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Snoopy (Snoopy holds the record for the most appearances as a balloon)
60. Which American holiday did Sarah Josepha Hale campaign for over 30 years to make official?
Thanksgiving
66. How many pumpkin pies are typically consumed on Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
Around 50 million
67. Who painted Freedom from Want, a famous Thanksgiving scene?
Norman Rockwell
68. What is the top online search for Thanksgiving in the U.S.?
Thanksgiving recipes
69. What type of pie is most associated with Thanksgiving today?
Pumpkin pie
70. Which dish was probably NOT served at the first Thanksgiving?
Pumpkin pie (pumpkin was likely eaten but not as pie)
71. How long did the first Thanksgiving celebration last?
Three days
72. What is the traditional main course at Canadian Thanksgiving?
Turkey (Turkey is traditional in Canada, similar to the U.S.)
73. What year was A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first aired on television?
1973
74. What do some Native Americans observe on Thanksgiving instead of celebrating?
National Day of Mourning (Observed by some Native American groups to honor their ancestors)
75. What vegetable often used in Thanksgiving dinners was once thought to have poisonous leaves?
Potatoes
76. What day is Thanksgiving held in Canada?
The second Monday in October
77. What is the heaviest turkey ever recorded?
86 pounds
78. What utensil did the Pilgrims likely not use during the first Thanksgiving?
Forks (they used knives and spoons)
79. What is Butterball’s Turkey Talk Line?
A hotline that helps callers with turkey-cooking questions
80. What famous Thanksgiving float character debuted in the Macy’s parade in 1968?
Snoopy
81. What is a baby turkey called?
A poult
82. What was the first famous Thanksgiving float character in the Macy’s parade in 1927?
Felix The Cat
83. What is the red, fleshy part of a turkey’s beak called?
A snood
84. What year did Butterball start the Turkey Talk Line?
1981
85. What cooking method became popular in the 2000s for preparing Thanksgiving turkeys?
Deep frying
86. How many hours should a turkey cook if it weighs 20 pounds?
4 to 5 hours at 325°F
87. What state consumes the most turkey per capita during Thanksgiving?
California.
88. What popular social media platform sees a surge in Thanksgiving recipe searches?
Pinterest
89. Which African country celebrates Thanksgiving with family gatherings in August?
Liberia
90. This famous 19th-century author’s Thanksgiving stories were widely published in magazines. Name her.
Sarah Josepha Hale
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Sarah Josepha Hale also wrote a poem (that became a song) that most people still know today. Name that tune.
Mary had a Little Lamb.
2. Which TV show has an episode called “Slapsgiving”?
How I Met Your Mother
3. What Broadway Musical features a song called “Turkey Lurkey Time”?
Promises, Promises
4. True or False: Turkeys can fly.
True (wild turkeys can fly short distances)
5. Which NFL player holds the record for most rushing yards on Thanksgiving?
Barry Sanders
6. Which part of the turkey changes color depending on its mood?
The head
7. On Friends, what dish does Rachel accidentally make with beef?
Trifle
8. What was the first television show to feature a Thanksgiving-themed episode?
The Burns and Allen Show in 1952.
9. What year was the first Thanksgiving football game televised?
1939
10. What is the name of the Native American who helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter?
Squanto.