US: 60th anniversary of turkey pardoning
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation in the US, which began with President Harry Truman in the 1940s.
Live Thanksgiving turkeys have been presented intermittently to presidents since the Lincoln administration, however, the actual ceremony only began in 1947, exactly 60 years ago.
Presidents traditionally have granted the National Thanksgiving Turkey a “pardon”. After the presentation, the turkey will be flown first class to Disney World in Orlando, where he will be the grand marshal of “Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.†After the parade, guests will be able to visit the bird in the backyard of Mickey’s Country House in Magic Kingdom Park.
 | The 2007 National Thanksgiving Turkey, named ‘May’, and its alternate, named ‘Flower’, are from Dubois, Indiana and were raised using normal feeding and other production techniques under the direction of National Turkey Federation Chairman Ted Seger. The 21-week old turkey, will weigh about 45 pounds, |
| when he is driven to Washington. The one exception with these turkeys is that they have had much interaction with people so that they would be prepared for their role at the White House Ceremony. | |
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