Back To The Past: 30 Intriguing Vintage Thanksgiving Ads And Commercials

Thanksgiving is hands down one of the most popular holidays in the US; and statistics seem to back that up. According to a recent YouGov survey, for instance, Thanksgiving is only second to Christmas in the race of being people’s most favored day of the year. (If you’re curious, the two holidays are followed by Halloween, Easter, Mother’s Day, and New Year’s Day respectively.)

The survey found that seven-in-ten adult Americans like Thanksgiving (and Christmas) better than any other average day; even despite the fact that for many, it means spending hours in the kitchen or in the car, or getting ready for the holiday in some other way.

Every year, somewhere between 70 and 80 million people (based on data from the last half a decade) pack their bags and set off on a trip on or around Thanksgiving, the vast majority doing so with a car. Likely because for many, this holiday is a time to get together with friends and family, who, unfortunately, do not always live within arm’s reach.

According to AAA, this year might see a record number of travelers, as 79.9 million people are expected to hit the road. Stacey Barber, the Vice President of AAA Travel, notes that “Americans reconnect with family and friends over Thanksgiving, and travel is a big part of that. AAA continues to see travel demand soar post-pandemic with our members looking for new adventures and memorable vacations.”

While millions of people travel across the country or elsewhere, many stay put in their homes and get ready for the holiday, which usually involves preparing a load of mouthwatering dishes. As you can see from this list, roasted turkey has long been a staple in people’s homes on Thanksgiving, and that alone takes hours to cook, not to mention all the other tasty treats people usually prepare.

A survey of all things Thanksgiving, carried out by the makers of the Jennie-O® turkey brand, found that for many people, Thanksgiving traditions are inseparable from delicious food. The three main traditions, according to the survey’s respondents, are sharing meals with people, spending time with extended family or old friends, and cooking together respectively.

The survey’s results also revealed that most people take up to two weeks to plan and cook the Thanksgiving feast, which usually entails three days of preparations, and five hours of cooking on the day of the holiday itself (which in the US takes place on the fourth Thursday in November, for those not as closely familiar with the holiday).

According to the aforementioned survey, roughly two-thirds of respondents prefer their turkey baked, PR Newswire reports. Nearly as many say there should be no brining the turkey before cooking it.

But it’s not only turkey people hope to see on the table on Thanksgiving; ham seems to be quite popular, too, as two-in-five Americans add it to the menu, either baked (as close to 70% of respondents prefer it), smoked (18%), or cooked (also 18%).

Jennie-O®’s survey also revealed that the majority of people in the US stick to traditions when it comes to preparing the turkey, though roughly a third of them say they like to jazz it up every holiday season.

As for the sides, the most popular ones, according to the respondents, are stuffing, rolls or biscuits, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce respectively; most of which have long been on the menu, judging from the ads on this list.

It’s clear: Thanksgiving is delicious and it brings people together. But once the day is done, there are usually leftovers, no matter how good the food was or how many people attended.

Don’t get me wrong, having leftovers is in no way a bad situation to be in. For many, it becomes a chance to extend the celebration, like Ross from friends used to do when his sister, Monica, would make leftover turkey sandwiches with what he used to call a moistmaker – an extra slice of gravy-soaked bread. Anyway, Ross is far from the only one who gets to enjoy a delicious sandwich once Thanksgiving is done, as 44% of people say they use the leftover turkey to make sandwiches, too.