🦃 Days Until Thanksgiving
There are
days until Thanksgiving (November 27)
Related holidays
About Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a U.S. federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It originated as a harvest festival, and the holiday is traced back to a 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Today, Thanksgiving is centered around a large family meal typically featuring turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. It is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and the following day — Black Friday — marks the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.
How to prepare for Thanksgiving
Start thawing your turkey well in advance — a frozen turkey needs about 24 hours per 5 pounds of weight in the refrigerator. Book travel at least a month ahead, as Thanksgiving week is the most expensive and congested travel period of the year. Assign dishes to guests potluck-style to reduce the host's workload. Prep what you can the day before: chop vegetables, make pie crusts, and set the table. Make a Black Friday shopping list if you plan to take advantage of sales.
Traditions and customs
American Thanksgiving traces to a 1621 harvest feast shared by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag, though it became a fixed national holiday only after Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it in 1863. The centerpiece meal — roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie — is joined by the Macy's parade, football, the presidential turkey pardon, and Black Friday shopping the next day. It is the busiest travel period of the American year.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Thanksgiving?
- In the United States, Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. Canada celebrates its own Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October.
- Why is Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November?
- Lincoln set it as the last Thursday of November in 1863; Congress fixed it as the fourth Thursday in 1941 to standardize the date and lengthen the holiday shopping season.
- Is Thanksgiving a federal holiday?
- Yes. Thanksgiving is a U.S. federal holiday, so government offices, banks, and most businesses are closed, and the following Friday is a common day off as well.