Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is observed in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It is one of the country’s most important family holidays, traditionally centered on gratitude and a shared meal. The holiday is followed by Black Friday, while many families also begin preparing for Christmas.

History of Thanksgiving Day

The modern holiday is often associated with a three-day harvest gathering held at Plymouth Colony in 1621. After many English settlers died during their first winter, members of the Wampanoag people shared knowledge that helped the colony adapt to the local environment. Around 90 Wampanoag men, including their leader Ousamequin, joined the settlers at the gathering and contributed five deer to the meal.

The event was not originally called the first Thanksgiving, and Indigenous peoples had observed harvest ceremonies and traditions of giving thanks long before Europeans arrived in North America. The history of Thanksgiving also includes the harmful effects of colonization on Indigenous communities.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863 and called for it to be observed on the last Thursday of November. After the date was changed temporarily in the late 1930s, Congress established the fourth Thursday of November as the federal Thanksgiving holiday in 1941.

Today, families and friends gather to give thanks and share a meal that may include roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pumpkin pie. Traditions vary among families and communities across the country.

Interesting Facts About Thanksgiving Day

• Benjamin Franklin praised the turkey in a private letter, but he did not formally propose it as the national bird of the United States.
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in New York City in 1924.
• The first nationally televised Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was broadcast in 1948.
• The modern White House tradition of formally pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey began in 1989.
• Some Indigenous people observe the National Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving to remember the effects of colonization and honor Indigenous resistance and survival.
• Thanksgiving meals may reflect a family’s cultural heritage and do not always include turkey or traditional American side dishes.

How Thanksgiving Day Is Observed

• Gather with relatives or friends for a shared meal.
• Prepare traditional dishes or recipes connected with your family’s cultural heritage.
• Invite each person to share something for which they are grateful.
• Donate food, volunteer with a community organization, or support people who need assistance.
• Learn about Wampanoag history and Indigenous perspectives on Thanksgiving.
• Call or arrange a video chat with loved ones who cannot attend in person.

When Is Thanksgiving Day in 2026?

Thanksgiving Day is observed on the fourth Thursday of November each year.

Observations