WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned the Peach and Blossom turkeys, relieving them from Thanksgiving dinner tables, an annual tradition that also marks the start of the Democrat’s final holiday season in the White House.
This year’s turkeys were named after Delaware’s state flower, the peach blossom, which symbolizes resilience, Biden, a Delawarean, told a crowd of about 2,500 people on the South Lawn of the White House, while one of the turkeys gorged in the background.
“This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington. It is also the last time I speak here as your president during this season and offer thanks and gratitude. So let me tell you – it has been the honor of my life. I am forever grateful,” Biden said.
Biden joked that Beach weighs 41 pounds (19 kilograms) and loves eating hot pot and dreams of seeing the Northern Lights, while Blossom weighs 40 pounds (18 kilograms) and loves eating cheese curds and watching boxing.
The true beginning of what evolved into the current turkey pardon tradition dates back to Harry Truman’s presidency in 1947. The official tradition began in 1989 at the White House, when then-President George H.W. Bush offered the first formal presidential pardon.
Millions of turkeys will be roasted in Thanksgiving ovens across the country on Thursday and doused in gravy, accompanied by a variety of side dishes, including holiday staples like stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and green bean casserole.
Biden will travel to Staten Island in New York City later Monday to attend a “Friends Day” event with members of the US Coast Guard.