A few weeks back, we posted about the best and worst foods for sleep.  One of the most notorious items on the list for putting you to sleep was, you guessed it, turkey.  So, in the spirit of Turkey Day, why not go through a quick history of the delectable bird to find out why it ends up on your table every year.

Turkey is native to the North American continent

Turkey was originally introduced to settlers by the native Wampanoag people after a year of little to no harvest.  Unfamiliar with the area, settlers had minimal understanding of what crops would grow nor did they know about the native bird that wandered the North American land.  Without the help of the Native American tribes, the early settlers would have surely starved or been forced to leave the beautiful North American continent.

Thankfully, the Native Americans were kind and generous enough to supply the English settlers with corn, squash, and other crops that allowed them to survive.  They also introduced them to the turkey (Meleagris gallopa) and taught them how to hunt for the native, gobbling bird.

In celebration, English settlers held a banquet in 1621 and invited the Native Americans as the guests of honor.

It took more than 200 years for Thanksgiving to become an official American holiday, but on October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it an official holiday to be celebrated every last Thursday of November.

Through the years, Thanksgiving has stayed relatively true to the original celebration, with turkey as the center piece and squash, potatoes, corn and other goodies as sides.

Today, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and, of course, Christmas shopping!  Be sure to check out our Black Friday Sale for the best deals on gifts for your loved ones.  Who wouldn’t love a brand new bed or gel pillow for Christmas?  At Sleep City, you can get 15% off all pillows and linens and up to 25% off your purchase of a new bed!  In addition, receive a a $300 foundation gift with a purchase of a Tempur-Pedic bed! Give your loved ones the gift they really deserve this Christmas – a good night’s sleep.

Cheers and sleep well.