Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Although the verbiage is a bit different than what we use today, an advertisement found in the November 21, 1863 edition of The Boston Herald promoted Thanksgiving in this way.
“Propelling for Turkey Day! All Aboard That’s Going! How Came You So?” That’s the same year that Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday, and yet, already the bird was tied to the day. It’s rather ironic that this American holiday became so closely associated with a bird named after a Middle Eastern nation, especially since the bird originally came from the Americas. But, when the Spanish first arrived in the New World, they already found Meleagris gallopavo domesticated. As plunder, they took the bird back home with them, and from there it was traded to England from which the Puritans came.
The Turkish Ottoman Empire was at its zenith in those days and many English speakers gave them credit by employing their name in recently introduced products. Maize was known as “Turkish wheat,” and pumpkins from the New World were called “Turkish cucumbers.” So maybe it isn’t surprising that the bird eventually became known simply as turkey. We even incorporated the bird’s name into expressions we use such as “talk turkey” and “quit cold turkey”.
While we here in America do have much to be thankful for, it would be presumptuous to assume we have a monopoly on reasons for gratitude. Several other countries also celebrate a day of thanksgiving as a public holiday. In others, while not formally recognized as an official day, it is still acknowledged. Perhaps the orthodox Protestant churches in the Netherlands understand it best. On the first Wednesday in November, they make it a point to go to church to thank the One who has given these good gifts.