Turkey Time!

Enjoy these funny, sometimes sweet, and always classic Thanksgiving covers revolving around food, family, and togetherness.

Weekly Newsletter

The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox!

SUPPORT THE POST

Nestled between a month of shopping for the perfect Halloween costumes and a month of fielding kids’ pleas for PS5 Pros, iPhone7s, and personal drones, sits Thanksgiving. These classic covers revolving around food, family, and togetherness illustrate the funny and sweet moments in the middle of America’s busiest holiday season.

Turkey Dreams

cover
Turkey Dreams
J.C. Leyendecker
November 24, 1917

On the night before Thanksgiving, visions of turkeys danced in their heads. Sugarplums come next month.


Pilgrim Stalking Tom

cover
Pilgrim Stalking Tom
J.C. Leyendecker
November 23, 1907

Ready, steady, aim! This stealthy pilgrim is doing his best to bring home the turkey bacon.


Boy Watching Grandmother Trim Pie

cover
Boy Watching Grandmother Trim Pie
J.C. Leyendecker
November, 21, 1908

Grandma’s hope is to pass down the art of pie making, but her grandson seems to be leaning more toward flavor taster than baker.


Thanksgiving Prayer

cover
Thanksgiving Prayer
R.E. Miller
November 22, 1941

It’s hard to focus on the Thanksgiving prayer when the food is within an arm’s reach.


Thanksgiving Cherub Sharpening Knife

cover
Thanksgiving Cherub Sharpening Knife
J.C. Leyendecker
November 13, 1909

Who gets to carve the still-steaming tom? Apparently this year, the honor goes to whoever looks best in an apron.


Thanksgiving Dinner 1919

cover
Thanksgiving Dinner 1919
J.C. Leyendecker
November 29, 1919

This young man’s eyes might actually be as big as his stomach.


Pilgrim Boy Carving Turkey

cover
Pilgrim Boy Carving Turkey
J.C. Leyendecker
November 12, 1910

Artist Leyendecker has done it again! Capturing the elation in that first bite of Thanksgiving dinner.


Prayer Before Cake

cover
Prayer Before Cake
Henry J. Soulen
March 29, 1913

You can guess what he’s thinking: “Didn’t the prayer before dinner cover dessert?”


After Turkey Nap

cover
After Turkey Nap
J.C. Leyendecker
November 26, 1938

Ahhh, yes. The moment we all look forward to … the nap. This kid’s doing it right — tuckering out at the table.


Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now

Comments

  1. Please send me my copies I paid for. I moved in May of this year and the post office is not forwarding my magazines. My new address is 128 Michelle Street N.W., Hanceville, AL 35077. I enjoy reading your magazines.

  2. Nice Thanksgiving cover selections, Ms. Goodman. No shortage of Leyendecker’s here, or hungry children chomping on the bit not to make a power play for the food.

    The 1941 cover of the little girl (though a photo) has all the charm of artwork, not unlike so many of the later art covers that looked close to being photos. If I’m wrong on it being a photo, please advise.

    Children need gifts that are age appropriate, safe and not that expensive. iphones, personal drones are kind of ridiculous. If they scream and carry on for gifts in a nasty, greedy manner the best thing you can do is tell them if they don’t stop, the only gifts you’ll be buying are for children that are poor and will appreciate them.

    Furthermore, they’re going to wrap them and help hand them over to the clergy at the Mission Rescue Center happily and willingly or they’re not getting any Christmas presents; it’s their choice. That should work quite well.

    It’s still great to have children being involved helping those less fortunate, regardless of positive or negative behavior otherwise. Sometimes it can turn those brats into actually wanting to help and developing an attitude of gratitude from then on in other areas of life. Ahhh, the guilt card. Priceless.

Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *