Biden pardons turkeys during final Thanksgiving event, serves dinner on Staten Island

US President Joe Biden pardoned white-plumed turkeys Peach and Blossom on Monday, sparing them from Thanksgiving dinner tables, an annual tradition that also marked the start of the Democrat's last holiday season in the White House.

This year's turkeys are named after the Delaware state flower, the peach blossom, which symbolises resilience, Biden, who has two homes in the state, told about 2,500 people on the White House South Lawn while one of the turkeys gobbled in the background.

“This event marks the official start of the holiday season in Washington. It's also my last time to speak here as your president during this season and give thanks and gratitude. So let me say to you, it's been the honour of my life and I am forever thankful,” Biden said.

Peach weighs 19kg and loves to eat hot dish and tater tots and his dream is to see the Northern Lights, while Blossom weighs 18kg and loves to eat cheese curds and watch boxing, Biden quipped.

The true start of what has evolved into the tradition of turkey pardoning dates back to Harry Truman's presidency in 1947. The official tradition began in 1989 at the White House when then-president George Bush offered the first official presidential pardon.

Millions of turkeys will be roasted in Thanksgiving ovens across the country on Thursday and drenched in gravy, accompanied by side dishes including holiday staples like stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and green bean casserole.

Biden travelled to New York City's Staten Island later on Monday for a “friendsgiving” event where he and his wife Jill thanked members of the US coast guard and their families for their service to the country.

“We owe you. We owe your families,” Biden told hundreds of “coasties” and their relatives as he highlighted the coast guard's work this year, including rescue missions after recent hurricanes and responding after a Baltimore bridge collapse.

Biden and the first lady later donned black White House aprons and helped serve roasted brussel sprouts and butternut squash for more than an hour amid many noisy children.

“It sounds just like home,” Jill Biden said.

Biden returned to the stage briefly to say goodbye.

“I’ve just been told I’ve been fired,” he joked, saying the entourage had to “get the hell out of here” because of road closures.

Reuters