Did you know that every year in the United States we have a National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation?

The ceremony takes place at the White House every year shortly before Thanksgiving. The President is presented with a live domestic turkey, usually of the Broad Breasted White variety. Since 1989 during the first Thanksgiving of President George H. W. Bush, the president has granted the turkey a presidential pardon, sparing the turkey from losing its head! Makes for a fun celebration each year!

Take a look at the names of the ‘Birds’ and a bit of extra info too.

• 2002: George W. Bush pardoned the first-ever female turkey in the ceremony, Katie, a 30-pound bird bred by Ron Prestage, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, as well as alternate bird Zack. The turkeys were named after Prestage's children.
• 2003: Bush pardoned Stars and back up Stripes
• 2004: Bush pardoned Biscuits and back up Gravy.
• 2005: Bush pardoned Marshmallow and alternate bird Yam, raised in Henning, Minnesota. Beginning in 2005 pardoned birds were sent to Disneyland to live, and serve as the "honorary grand marshal" of that year's Thanksgiving Day Parade, following concerns raised by animal rights objections that the birds had not survived for long. For the previous 15 years they had been sent to Frying Pan Park near Herndon, Virginia. Names were generally chosen in online votes taken at the White House website.
• 2006: Bush pardoned Flyer and alternate bird Fryer, raised in Missouri.
• 2007: Bush pardoned 45-pound May and backup Flower, raised in Indiana.
• 2008: Bush pardoned 45-pound backup "vice" turkey named Pumpkin, after the number one turkey Pecan fell ill the night before the ceremony. Both turkeys were allowed to live.
• 2009: Barack Obama pardoned Courage, a 45-pound turkey provided by the National Turkey Federation, and alternate bird Carolina, raised in North Carolina.
• 2010: Obama pardoned Apple, and alternate bird Cider. Both had died of natural causes by Thanksgiving 2011.
• 2011: Obama pardoned a 45-pound turkey named Liberty and an alternate bird named Peace, both of which were raised in Willmar, Minnesota. Peace survived until shortly before Thanksgiving 2012
• Obama pardoned Cobbler and Gobbler, both 40-pound turkeys from Rockingham County, Virginia. Be sure and watch for the day of pardoning for 2013!

1949 Photograph of President Truman receiving a Thanksgiving turkey from members of the Poultry and Egg National Board and other representatives of the turkey industry, outside the White House.