The Thanksgiving Lies We've Been Told

**Discussion begins at 5:10**

Today we’re slipping on our coziest sweaters, filling our mugs with something seasonally spiced, and diving head-first into the great American holiday of… misconceptions. Thanksgiving is stuffed with myths, misnomers, and stories that have been reheated so many times they’ve basically turned into folklore.  So in this episode, we’re going to carve into some of the most persistent ones.  What is the true origin story of the holiday? Did Ben Franklin really campaign for the turkey to be our national bird, or is that just a factoid people like to drop between bites of stuffing? What’s the true, somewhat mystical-sounding origin of the wishbone tradition, and how did we collectively decide to snap poultry anatomy for luck? And of course, pumpkin pie: the beloved dessert that, ironically, is almost never made from actual pumpkin.  So settle in, maybe grab a plate of leftovers, and let’s untangle the tall tales hiding behind this very American celebration.

Send a text

Support the show

Theme song by INDA