In what has become a holiday tradition, two turkeys chosen by the National Turkey Federation were pardoned for their deliciousness by President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony Wednesday, meaning they will get to live out the rest of their natural lives.

NTF has presented the president a turkey for pardoning since 1947. In more recent years, the organization has presented two turkeys, although only one bird can become the "National Thanksgiving Turkey." The public is asked to decide which turkey gets the honor, although both are spared no matter the result.

This year's turkeys are "Tater," an 18-week-old male, and "Tot," a female of the same age. Both will spend their remaining years cared for by veterinarians and students at Virginia Tech. (Farm turkeys have short lifespans. Courage, a turkey pardoned by Obama in 2009, recently died of natural causes.)

The turkeys are lucky birds. NTF said more than 212 million turkeys were consumed in the U.S. in 2015, with 46 million of those turkeys eaten during Thanksgiving. http://bit.ly/1cAPgLA

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