Happy Thanksgiving 2014! Turkey, Plymouth Pilgrims, Indians, Football & More Fun Facts & Trivia About Festive November Holiday

Happy Thanksgiving, MstarsNews readers! While gathered around the dinner table with close friends and family, whip-out some of these fun facts and trivia regarding the festive November holiday. Enjoy!

 - The first Thanksgiving feast (organzied by Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford) lasted a total of three days in 1621. The native neighboring Wampanoag Indians were invited to the celebration.

- Approximately 280  MILLION turkeys are sold around this specific holiday. The average size is 15-pounds.

- Thanksgiving was not declared a national holiday by Congress until 1941. It's always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November (this year, November 27).

- Benjamin Franklin initially wanted the national bird to be a turkey. Instead, it's the American Bald Eagle.

- Stuffing inside the turkey? Approximately 50-percent of Americans eat the traditional meal that way.

- The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was celebrated in 1924.

- The average amount of hours spent cooking in the kitchen is about seven.

- Be careful! Every year, about $15 million in damages result from turkey frying incidents.

- Prepare for Black Friday - apparently, 79-percent of 18-24 year olds will shop over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend this year, the highest of any specific age group (via National Retail Federation). 

- Football tradition - back in 1920, the NFL started the Thanksgiving Classic games. Since then, the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys always host games on the holiday. Then in 2006, a third game was added with different teams hosting. 

Have any more interesting tid-bits about Thanksgiving? Share them in the comments section below.

Happy holidays!