How Mary Went From Having A Little Lamb To Mary Having A Lot Of Turkey

Most Americans don't really know how Thanksgiving became a U.S. holiday or how the turkey became the symbol of this national day of thanks.  Most, erroneously believe that it was a tradition established by the first pilgrims; with the turkey being the centerpiece of the event.  While the turkey may have been served at this supposed first Thanksgiving, it is more than likely that the pilgrims, in British tradition, preferred the choice of  a holiday goose.

Then, there's the issue of this feast being a fixed tradition throughout the growth our fledgling country.  At best, there may have been scattered celebrations for having a successful autumn harvest; but, nothing even close to having a national holiday.  Certainly, any of these events were primarily isolated to farming communities.  The city dwellers had no such celebrations.

The real Thanksgiving holiday came about almost 200 years after the Pilgrims cordially sat with the Indians and broke bread (so to speak).  The actual holiday was literally the product of one person.  A woman by the name of Sarah Josepha Hale; known more famously for her "Mary Had A Little Lamb" nursery rhyme.  As the editor of a publication called the Ladies' Magazine, she became an advocate of a holiday where family and friends sat down and feasted and gave thanks; openly writing about it in her magazine and often referencing those first pilgrim gatherings.  Then, too, she often included menus and recipes; many of which starred the now-famous centerpiece: The humble turkey.  Over a period of 17 years, she wrote letters to whomever was the current sitting President of the United State imploring each of them to promote legislation that would declare Thanksgiving a national holiday.  Finally, in 1863, the then-President, Abraham Lincoln, sponsored legislation and this famous American holiday was born. 

So, as you sit and enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey, always remember it was the writer of a story about a little girl who had a little lamb that started it all.

--- Wikipedia: Sarah Josepha Hale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Josepha_Hale