Thanksgiving 2025: History, Evolution, and Economics

Welcome to episode 159 of the Technical Writing Success podcast from Curt Robbins. This podcast is targeted at IT professionals, technical writers, and documentation specialists. Subscribe today to never miss a single daily episode!

In today’s episode, hosts Daphne and Fred unpack a unique article from show producer Curt Robbins about Thanksgiving, with a focus on its true history, how it evolved during the 20th century, and the current economic impact.

Robbins establishes that Thanksgiving is a duality, rooted in the political necessity of the 1621 harvest gathering, but truly nationalized by later presidents, notably George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

He charts the 20th-century transformation of the day from a religious observance into a secular tradition, detailing President Franklin D. Roosevelt's controversial decision to manipulate the date for retail benefit and the institutionalization of events such as the Macy’s parade and NFL football.

Focusing on its contemporary financial standing, the article estimates the 2025 cost of the traditional meal to be approximately $55.18 and projects a record level of 82 million holiday travelers.

Ultimately, Thanksgiving is framed as a massive commercial engine that now serves as the critical kickoff for the "Cyber Five" shopping weekend, generating billions of dollars in retail and travel revenue.

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I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround. — Curt

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>> Read the original article: https://tinyurl.com/4wp8brw7

>> Read the Robbins article "Tool Review: Adobe FrameMaker" article: https://tinyurl.com/5dj3b8tp

>> Read the Robbins article "Helping Junior Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/yc82h4j7

>> Read the Robbins article "10 Famous Technical Writers": https://tinyurl.com/5ejznknw

>> Read the Robbins article "Tech Writers: Embrace Structured Content": https://tinyurl.com/32ysxm3v

>> Read the Robbins article "Role of User Experience in Tech Writing": https://tinyurl.com/mrdtenbb

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