50 Thanksgiving Trivia Questions and Answers (Fun, Easy & Hard) for Family Game Night

Keep the conversation going between turkey and pie with these Thanksgiving trivia questions and answers. Read them aloud at the table, split into teams or use them in the classroom. Answers are right below each question.

Easy Thanksgiving trivia (great for kids)

1. What bird is the star of most Thanksgiving dinners? The turkey.
2. On which day of the week is Thanksgiving in the U.S.? Thursday.
3. What is a male turkey called? A tom (or gobbler).
4. What is a female turkey called? A hen.
5. What is a baby turkey called? A poult.
6. What sound does a male turkey make? A gobble.
7. Which orange vegetable is used in a classic Thanksgiving pie? Pumpkin.
8. Which red berry is made into a Thanksgiving sauce? The cranberry.
9. What is the horn-shaped basket of fruits and vegetables called? A cornucopia (horn of plenty).
10. Which store hosts a famous Thanksgiving parade in New York City? Macy’s.

Thanksgiving history trivia

11. In what year did the Pilgrims and Wampanoag share the harvest feast often called the first Thanksgiving? 1621.
12. Where did that feast take place? Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts.
13. Which Native American nation joined the 1621 feast? The Wampanoag.
14. About how many days did the 1621 celebration last? About three days.
15. What was the name of the Pilgrims’ ship? The Mayflower.
16. Which president proclaimed a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863? Abraham Lincoln.
17. Which writer campaigned for years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday? Sarah Josepha Hale.
18. What famous nursery rhyme did Sarah Josepha Hale write? “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
19. Which president moved Thanksgiving a week earlier in 1939, a change nicknamed “Franksgiving”? Franklin D. Roosevelt.
20. In what year did Congress fix Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November? 1941.

Turkey trivia

21. What is the red, fleshy skin hanging under a turkey’s chin called? The wattle.
22. What is the flap of skin that hangs over a turkey’s beak called? The snood.
23. Can wild turkeys fly? Yes — for short distances.
24. Can domestic farm turkeys fly? Generally no; they’re bred too heavy.
25. Which state raises the most turkeys? Minnesota.
26. Which Founding Father praised the turkey in a letter, comparing it favorably with the bald eagle? Benjamin Franklin.
27. Which president began the official tradition of pardoning a turkey in 1989? George H. W. Bush.
28. What internal temperature makes a cooked turkey safe to eat? 165°F.
29. About how many pounds of turkey should you plan per person? About 1 to 1½ pounds.
30. What is the wishbone’s real name? The furcula.

Thanksgiving food trivia

31. Which state grows the most cranberries? Wisconsin.
32. Cranberries are harvested in flooded fields called what? Bogs.
33. Which company created the first popular TV dinner in the 1950s using surplus turkey? Swanson.
34. What is the most popular Thanksgiving pie? Pumpkin pie.
35. Green bean casserole is topped with what crunchy ingredient? Fried onions.
36. What is stuffing called when it’s cooked outside the bird? Dressing (in many regions).
37. Sweet potatoes are often topped with what fluffy treat? Marshmallows.
38. What day after Thanksgiving is famous for leftover sandwiches and shopping? Black Friday.

Football and parade trivia

39. Which NFL team has hosted a Thanksgiving game almost every year since 1934? The Detroit Lions.
40. Which team has hosted a Thanksgiving game nearly every year since 1966? The Dallas Cowboys.
41. Who plays at Detroit on Thanksgiving 2026? The Chicago Bears.
42. In what year was the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held? 1924.
43. Which number parade is the 2026 Macy’s parade? The 100th.
44. In what year did giant character balloons first appear in the Macy’s parade? 1927.
45. Where does the Macy’s parade end? Herald Square, 34th Street.

Hard Thanksgiving trivia

46. When does Canada celebrate Thanksgiving? The second Monday in October.
47. The Black Friday name is linked to which city’s police in the 1950s–60s? Philadelphia.
48. What is the name of the poem by Lydia Maria Child that begins “Over the river, and through the wood”? “The New-England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day.”
49. Which African country founded by freed American slaves also celebrates a Thanksgiving Day? Liberia.
50. What date is Thanksgiving 2026? Thursday, November 26, 2026.

How to host Thanksgiving trivia

• Split into teams by generation — kids vs. adults is always fun.
• Award a point per correct answer and a prize (first slice of pie!).
• Add a lightning round between dinner and dessert.

More fun: Thanksgiving games, Thanksgiving jokes, NFL Thanksgiving 2026 schedule and Macy’s parade guide.

FAQ

What are good Thanksgiving trivia questions?

Questions about the 1621 feast, Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation, turkey facts and the Macy’s parade are favorites.

Who made Thanksgiving a national holiday?

Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it in 1863 after Sarah Josepha Hale’s long campaign.