When did Thanksgiving turkey become such a big deal?

One of the two national Thanksgiving turkeys, Waddle and Gobble, are presented to journalists in the Willard Room of the Willard InterContinental on November 24, 2025, in Washington, DC. The Turkeys come from North Carolina and will participate in the 78th annual Turkey Pardoning at the White House. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Thanksgiving didn’t happen the way a lot of us probably have learned it did back in elementary school. Kindergarteners in problematic construction paper headdresses, playacting with fifth graders in black hats and buckle shoes, holding hands and giving thanks