These Vintage Thanksgiving Photos Remind Us What It’s All About
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Times have changed, but we still have so much to be grateful for: turkey, pumpkin pie, family and more.
Let's not forget vintage Thanksgiving photos, either. These old snapshots remind us what the season's all about.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Started in 1924 and Was Originally Known as the Macy's Christmas Parade
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President Franklin D. Roosevelt Loved Carving the Annual Turkey for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Guests in 1933
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Servicemen Were Served Free to Wish Them a Happy Thanksgiving in 1941
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A Thanksgiving Party in London in 1942 Didn’t Look Much Different Than It Would Today
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This Man Showed the Turkey Who’s Boss in New York City in 1945
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Heavyweight Boxing Champ Joe Louis Helped His Daughter Dig in to Some Turkey in 1946
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Joe DiMaggio Had to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner Left-Handed After an Operation
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President Harry Truman Got a Piece of Plymouth Rock on Thanksgiving Day in 1949
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U.S. Soldiers Still Enjoyed Thanksgiving Dinner During Wartime in North Korea in 1950
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President Truman Met the Turkey That Would Be Served at His Last Thanksgiving White House Dinner in 1952
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First Lady Mamie Eisenhower Laughed at the Gobbling of This 40-Pound Bird Presented for Thanksgiving in 1957
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What Would Be a Thanksgiving Parade Without Radio City Music Hall Rockettes?
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Sandra Dee, Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida Cut the Turkey in Rome, Italy, While Filming 'Come September' in 1960
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Big Thanksgiving Snacks and Football Go Way Back
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Comedian Jimmy Durante Rode Jumbo the Elephant Around the Big Apple in 1962
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Caroline Kennedy’s Pet Terrier, Charlie, Was Quite Curious About the Arrival of the White House’s Thanksgiving Bird
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President Lyndon Johnson Sat at the Head of the Table With His Family on Thanksgiving in 1965
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Comedian Phyllis Diller Found the Funny Bone of Her Turkey Friend
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Susan Ford, President Ford’s Daughter, Took Their Dog Liberty on a Thanksgiving Walk in 1974
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Donny Osmond Gave the People What They Want at the Macy's Parade in 1981
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In 1984, the Presidential Turkey Wasn’t Intimidated by President Ronald Reagan in the Slightest
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Even Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse Celebrate Thanksgiving
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A Group of Native Americans in 1986 Hosted a Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving in Remembrance of Their Ancestors
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The Annual Macy’s Parade Doesn’t Always Go Smoothly. In 1986, Betty Boop Collapsed
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A Live Radio Broadcast Was Made From New York City's Golden's Restaurant on Thanksgiving Day in 1988 With Comedian Jackie Mason and TV Personality Morton Downey Jr.
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Volunteers Gathered at the U.S. Capitol Grounds to Serve Thanksgiving Dinner to Homeless Families
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This White House Turkey in 1989 Weighed a Whopping 50 Pounds, and President George Bush Looks Delighted
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Ronald McDonald Was Loving the 1989 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
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President-Elect Bill Clinton Served Turkey at a Shelter for Battered Women and Their Kids Back in 1992
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Just Two Months After 9/11, Firefighters at the Broadway Firehouse in New York Gathered for a Bittersweet Meal
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First Responders Joined the Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2001 With Two Large Flag Banners to Represent the World Trade Center
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Frying Turkeys at a Tailgate Party Before a Dallas Cowboys Game? Some Things Never Change
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President George W. Bush Helped Wish Troops a Happy Thanksgiving in Baghdad
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The First National Day of Mourning in Honor of Native Americans Was Held in 1970, and They’ve Become an Honored Tradition
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An NBA Suspension Didn’t Stop Stephen Jackson From Serving Thanksgiving Dinner for the Homeless in 2004
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Following Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Residents Needed These Handmade Turduckens to Lift Their Spirits
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In 2005, the National Thanksgiving Turkey Was Spared and Sent to Be the Grand Marshal of Disneyland’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. His Name Was Marshmallow
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Clowns at the Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2006 Were a Little on the Creepy Side
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U.S. Soldiers Bowed Their Heads in Prayer During a Thanksgiving Day Celebration in Afghanistan
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This poignant photo was symbolic, but it also bears an important reminder. Psychologists have studied brain chemistry and confirmed that gratitude helps people press on during challenging times.
Even if times are tough, look for things to be grateful for. A slice of pie and a hand to hold are more special than they look.
For more holiday content, check out these other FamilyMinded stories: