We all know that Google is always tracking everything we're doing online. From searches, to what websites we visit and what we buy, Google has a unique look into not just your life, but the lives of Americans as a whole. And now, Big Data is using that information to help you plan for the chaos of Thanksgiving dinner.
Google's LaToya Drake says each region of the U.S. has different ideas about what to do with Thanksgiving and which dishes need to be a part of the big feast.
"We have a national trend, but it's very unique to see how people put their own spin on Thanksgiving, more regionally."
According to Google, the top Thanksgiving recipes over the last week include:
1) Turkey
2) Green Bean Casserole
3) Sweet Potato
4) Stuffing
5) Potato Casserole
Turkey Losing Popularity?
One interesting fact revealed by America's searches on Google, include the fact that ham may unseat turkey as the official meal for Thanksgiving. Drake says interest in ham has spiked over the last few years.
"There a Thanksgiving Turkey vs Ham battle that's playing out right now where people going for ham, not turkey. But it's a unique search term that we did see spike, and we've been watching it for the last few months and it looks like ham is winning the search battle."
Surviving the Traffic
But it isn't just the dinner we have to stress over. There's also the traffic we have to battle to get there in the first place. Thanks to everyone (and literally their brother) heading off to Grandma's house for the holiday, rush hour traffic goes pro, making everyone's lives miserable.
This year, give thanks to Google and their analysis of traffic patterns to help recommend the best time to leave based on last year's Thanksgiving travel data:
Post-Thanksgiving Coma Activities
The dishes are done. The turkey has been carved up and put away for leftover sandwiches, and the football games are over. What do Americans do now to relax? That depends on what part of the country you're in.
For example, people in Los Angeles were busy searching for golf courses for their post-Thanksgiving entertainment last year. Compare that to New Yorkers who were searching for bowling allies, plazas, and spas to help them relax after putting up with their families.
The most popular destination search for the day after Thanksgiving? "Plant nursery." Which likely means that once Thanksgiving is over, people are already thinking about Christmas and their Christmas trees.
So, whether your planning your meal, how to avoid traffic, or your post-Thanksgiving dinner activities, Google Trends has you covered to have a very happy Thanksgiving.