Beautiful hand-painted turkey place setting/
favor from Anna Shea Chocolates.

We also have a tradition of “place settings,” referring not to the dishes, glasses and silverware but to party favors. Our favor of choice is a chocolate turkey that continues the celebration over the holiday weekend.

The prettiest turkey we’ve seen this season is this hand-painted gobbler from Anna Shea Chocolates. They’ll be happy to send you a flock, but you can also look around locally for tempting treats, including chocolate or marzipan pumpkins; or fill individual clear plastic confection boxes with candy corn.

So…why are there a flock of turkeys, a brood of chickens, a gaggle of geese, a brace of ducks and so forth?

Back in the 17th century, when there was little entertainment—often the newspaper was a weekly—a group of literate folks started the list. Take a look at what they created here. It’s more fun than a pod of whales and a murder of crows.

• See last year’s tip for making chocolate place cards.