A popular Thanksgiving riddle about turkey and cranberries is:
Q: Why did the cranberries turn red?
A: Because they saw the turkey dressing?
“Do you know why the cranberries were red?—They saw the turkey dressing” was cited in a February 1940 newspaper.
“Why did the lobster blush?”/“Because he saw the salad dressing!” is a related riddle from the 19th century.
6 February 1940, Longview (TX) Daily News, “Here ‘n’ There,” pg. 4, col. 2:
SH-H, do you know why the cranberries were red?—They saw the turkey dressing (just wait until you’ve heard some of the others!)
7 November 1940, San Saba (TX) News, “Folks and Things,” pg. 2, col. 2:
What made the cranberry red? It saw the turkey dressing.
24 November 1964, Maryville (MO) Daily Forum, “Our Kountry Kousin Observes,” pg. 5, col. 4:
Of course you know—“Why the cranberry salad was red.”
“It saw the turkey dressing!”
Oh, my goodness.
Happy Holiday,
Kountry Kousin.
Google Books
The Little Giant Book of Giggles
By Charles Keller,
Illustrated by eff Sinclair, Dave Winter and Dave Garbot
New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
2003
Pg. 224:
Why did the cranberry turn red?
It saw the turkey dressing.
Google Books
Holiday Howlers:
Jokes for Punny Parties
By Peter Roop and Connie Roop
Pictures by Brian Gable
Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
2004
Pg. 18:
Q: Why did the Thanksgiving cranberries turn red?
A: They saw the turkey dressing.
Twitter
Land Monster
@drhensjog
Why are cranberries red? They saw the turkey dressing!
12:44 PM - 30 Oct 2008
Twitter
Sonny Garcia
@DJSonnyGarcia
Angelo just told me a Thanksgiving joke…Why did the cranberries turn red? Because it saw the turkey dressing.
1:13 PM - 26 Nov 2009
Google Books
November 2010, Boys’ Life, “Think & Grin,” pg. 59, col. 1:
Danny: Why did the cranberries turn red?
Jake: Beats me.
Danny: Because they saw the turkey dressing!
Danny Zappala, Sandwich, Mass.
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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