Every November, the President of the United States receives a live turkey, and every year he “pardons” it. The turkey is never eaten, unlike most turkeys raised in the US. Instead, it lives its natural life in a park or farm.
Actually, two of these turkeys are chosen each year: the “National Thanksgiving Turkey” and an alternate. If the first turkey cannot be at the clemency ceremony, the alternate goes in his place.
This year, the White House website does not give any information about the turkey pardon. Maybe everyone is too busy to update the site, as they prepare for the new president. However, we know that forgiveness is going to happen, as usual. St. Olaf College in Minnesota reports that one of his graduates, Paul Hill, is gifting two turkeys from his farm to the White House.
In previous years, the White House asked people to vote online on the names of the turkeys. That hasn’t happened this year, but the turkeys will probably get names that go together.
Last year, for example, the turkeys were named “Mayo” and “Flor.” This reminds the lily of the valley, the ship used by the pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in the land that became the US in 2006, were named “Flyer” and “Fryer”. Although these sound like good names for birds that are meant to be eaten, turkeys cannot fly. And not many people fry their Thanksgiving turkeys.
In 2005, the turkeys were named “Marshmallow” and “Yam”. This is reminiscent of a traditional Thanksgiving dish, sweet potatoes (sometimes called sweet potatoes) with marshmallows on top. Americans love or hate this dish.
“Biscuits” and “Gravy” were the names in 2004. The biscuits are sugar-free biscuits made with baking powder (although the same word is used for biscuits in British English). They can be used to soak up gravy, a sauce made from meat juices.
In 2003, the turkeys were named “Stars” and “Stripes” after the United States flag. In 2002, there was a turkey, a female named Katie (nickname for Catherine).
In 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, the turkeys were named “Freedom” and “Liberty.” President Bush said, “Freedom is not here because it is in a safe and undisclosed place.”
Some of the names that did not come through over the years were:
- washington and lincoln
- Plymouth and Rock (after Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, where many believe the Pilgrims landed)
- Democracy and Freedom (these lost to Marshmallow and Yam)
- Lewis and Clark (after two early American explorers)
- Pumpkin and Cranberry (more Thanksgiving foods)
This year’s pardon of turkeys will take place on November 26. We may have to wait until then to learn the names of turkeys.
(To read the Saint Olaf News story click here.)
