Washington (CNN) Approximately 44 million turkeys were Thanksgiving dinner in the United States last year, but on Tuesday at the White House, one lucky bird was spared a similar fate.

President Donald Trump enthusiastically participated in the time-honored tradition of the turkey pardon, granting clemency to a bird in the White House Rose Garden before jetting off to Mar-a-Lago for a long holiday weekend.

Hailing from South Dakota, this year's pardon contestants are named Peas and Carrots. During the ceremony, Trump announced that Peas was the winner of the vote to receive a presidential pardon.

"That turkey is so lucky. I've never seen such a beautiful turkey," Trump said of Peas, who ruffled its feathers in front of a crowd of onlookers in the Rose Garden.

The poultry pair's journey to Washington was a veritable gravy train.

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