Our National Traditions

These are the five most common activities Americans traditionally enjoy on Thanksgiving Day. How many does your family do?

1. Savoring the Bird According to the National Turkey Federation, 91 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Dating back to New England harvest traditions, eating turkey is the enduring symbol of the holiday. In the South, some prefer their turkey deep-fried rather than roasted in the traditional Yankee fashion. No matter how the turkey is prepared, Americans will eat approximately 675 million pounds of turkey alone this holiday.

2. Reaching Out As Americans gather together to share the year's bounty, families also reach out to those less fortunate. Volunteering at soup kitchens is a time-honored way to express our thanks and give back to the community. For more information on how to volunteer, go to "Charities and Volunteering."

3. Taking Time Out -- For Football When everyone is full from the groaning Thanksgiving table, many folks settle in for football. Americans have been playing and watching football on Thanksgiving since the 1870s. One sarcastic reporter noted in 1893, "Thanksgiving...is a holiday granted by...the Nation to see a game of football."

4. Watching the Big Parade In addition to the big football games, Americans gather around to watch one of the biggest and most famous parades, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Whether you watch it on TV or go to New York City to see it in person, the day would not be complete without the balloons, the Rockettes, and Santa on his sleigh. Locals and visitors alike congregate the night before the parade to watch the floats as they're inflated and to stake out a place for great sight lines the next morning.

5. Making a Wish Who gets the wishbone in your family? Ever since the Etruscans, people have been pulling apart the forked bone from a turkey, chicken or other fowl and making a wish. The Romans brought the tradition with them when they conquered England and the English brought it to America.