What day is Thanksgiving?
Quick answer
In the United States, Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026, that’s Thursday, November 26. Canada celebrates earlier, on the second Monday of October.
Countdown to Thanksgiving (US)
– days
Thanksgiving dates
| Year | United States (4th Thursday of November) | Canada (2nd Monday of October) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, November 26 | Monday, October 12 |
| 2027 | Thursday, November 25 | Monday, October 11 |
Because it’s tied to a weekday rather than a date, US Thanksgiving always falls between November 22 and 28. Many schools and businesses also close on the Friday after, making it a four-day weekend for millions of people.
Why the fourth Thursday?
The holiday traces back to a harvest feast shared by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people in 1621. For centuries afterward, days of thanksgiving were declared locally and irregularly.
- 1863: President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.
- 1939: President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it a week earlier to lengthen the holiday shopping season, causing confusion as some states refused to follow.
- 1941: Congress fixed it permanently as the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving traditions
- Turkey dinner, usually with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie
- The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, held since 1924
- NFL football games through the afternoon and evening
- The presidential turkey pardon at the White House
- Black Friday shopping the next day
Thanksgiving also kicks off the holiday season in the US. Here’s how many days are left until Christmas.
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