“A green Thanksgiving means a white Christmas” is a winter adage. If it doesn’t snow on Thanksgiving, it will snow on Christmas. If it does snow on Thanksgiving, it will not snow on Christmas. No statistics have tested the adage.
“The old tradition ‘Green Thanksgiving, White Christmas’” was cited in print in 1928—before Irving Berlin’s 1941 song “White Christmas” made that idea popular.
21 December 1928, The Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, NY), “Year’s Shortest Day Comes With Drop In Temperature,” pg. 1, col. 2:
Light snow which flurried through the air gave hopes of a white Christmas, although there are only three more days left. If the old tradition “Green Thanksgiving, White Christmas” and vice-versa holds any truth this year, Santa will not have to use his sleigh when he visits Canandaigua Christmas eve.
Google Books
Michigan Courthouse Review
Michigan Institute of Local Government
Volumes 4-5
1951
Pg. 16:
Well, they say that a green Thanksgiving means a “White Christmas”.
(altvibe)
licidy
Posted: 25 Nov 2010
Re: SNOW I WILL NOT MAKE OUT WITH YOU!!!
@neonemo
Depends where in the states you live. In St. Louis it snows every winter, and an old wives tale says that if it snows on thanksgiving, it will be a green christmas, but a green thanksgiving means a white christmas ^_^
Twitter
susan c. darr
@darrgirl
A green Thanksgiving means a white Christmas !
10:27 PM - 15 Dec 2010
Twitter
Redelite1
@Randomstranga1
Guess this folklore will be tested-green thanksgiving=white christmas. We will see…
1:48 PM - 23 Nov 2011
Twitter
Stone Brancifort
@StoneColdBranci
Great clear sunny thanksgiving day… They say if its a green thanksgiving its gonna be a white christmas
11:58 AM - 22 Nov 2012
ThisWeek Community News (Central Ohio)
Snow may be late this year
By CHRIS BRADLEY
Wednesday November 18, 2015 2:01 PM
(...)
But remember that old saying, “Green Thanksgiving means a White Christmas.” That would be just fine by me.
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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