at a glance
Pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey
President George W Bush is surprised by "Liberty", November 2001. Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
- A turkey pardon?
- The President of the United States is presented with a turkey by the National Turkey Federation. The bird is then "pardoned" and allowed to live out the rest of its natural life
- When is it happening this year?
- 25 November 2015
- How did this tradition start?
- Dating back to at least 1947, US presidents were gifted with turkeys at Thanksgiving. However, these turkeys were generally then eaten
Ronald Reagan was the first president to "pardon" a Thanksgiving turkey, in 1987. His successor, George HW Bush, made the pardoning ceremony into a White House tradition from 1989 onwards
- How is the turkey chosen?
- 80 turkeys are randomly chosen at birth, with the field finally being narrowed to the two largest and best-behaved birds. Both birds are then spared by the President
- What happens to the turkeys afterwards?
- Since 2013, both fortunate birds are sent to live at Morven Park, Virginia USA