7 Thanksgiving Myths That You Should Stop Believing

Thanksgiving Myths: Thanksgiving is one of those holidays we grow up celebrating without ever questioning the stories behind it. Most of us imagine Pilgrims in black outfits, a huge turkey on the table, and a peaceful family gathering that started way back in 1621. But when you start digging into the actual history, the picture looks very different. A lot of what we think we know is basically a bunch of myths that got repeated so many times they became “facts”.

The truth is, early Thanksgivings were not just about the Pilgrims, religion, cosy paintings or old-school illustrations we see today.

So, this article breaks down some of the biggest Thanksgiving myths and what actually happened. 

Check out: List of 9 Patriotic Hymns of Gratitude in the US for Thanksgiving, Check Their Symbolism!

Myth 1: The Pilgrims Held the First Thanksgiving

Most people think the very first Thanksgiving happened in Plymouth, but Texas and Virginia have receipts, too.

Texas claims the first Thanksgiving happened in 1598, when Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate and his settlers held a feast after crossing the desert.

Virginia argues that their Thanksgiving happened in 1619 at Berkeley Plantation, two years before the Pilgrims’ event.

So Plymouth was not the first; it was just the most famous.

Myth 2: Thanksgiving Was a Family Celebration

Forget the classic ‘family-only dinner’ vibe. The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving was a community event. They invited the Wampanoag people to join them, which clearly would not have happened if it was a private family thing.

Myth 3: It Was a Strictly Religious Holiday

In reality, Thanksgiving days back then were all prayer, no partying. The harvest festival we now call Thanksgiving was more about food and community than religion. And the Pilgrims would not have mixed a sacred event with a big feast.

Myth 4: The Pilgrims Ate Turkey and Cranberries

We may love turkey today, but we cannot even confirm the Pilgrims had one on the menu. What we know they ate was deer. No potatoes, no apples, no corn on the cob, and probably no cranberry sauce.

The classic Thanksgiving dinner we know today? Thank the Victorians; they set the menu in the 1800s.

Myth 5: They Landed on Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock is basically a marketing legend. The whole story came from one elderly man, more than 100 years after the landing. So, the Pilgrims initially landed in Provincetown, not Plymouth.

Myth 6: Pilgrims Lived in Log Cabins

Nope. Log cabins came later with German and Swedish settlers. The Pilgrims lived in wood clapboard houses made from sawn lumber.

Myth 7: They Wore Black Clothes and Buckled Hats

The classic Pilgrim outfit depicted in art is purely imaginary. They didn’t wear all black, and the buckles were added centuries later by illustrators trying to create a quaint look.

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