When is Thanksgiving? In the United States it is always the fourth Thursday in November, and the next one is on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Use the live countdown to time your grocery runs, travel bookings and the all-important moment the turkey goes into the oven.
How the date was set
The holiday is often traced to the 1621 harvest feast shared by the Plymouth colonists and members of the Wampanoag nation, though days of thanksgiving were common in many colonies. For more than two centuries, dates varied from state to state. Writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for years for a single national day, and in 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving.
In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday one week earlier to lengthen the holiday shopping season, a change so unpopular that critics nicknamed it “Franksgiving.” Congress settled the matter in 1941 by fixing Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, which is why it can fall anywhere from November 22 to November 28.
What is open and closed
Thanksgiving is a federal holiday. Here is what to expect:
- Federal and most state offices, banks, the post office and schools are closed.
- US stock markets close on Thursday and usually close early on Friday.
- Many large retailers now stay closed on Thanksgiving Day itself, while some grocery stores and pharmacies open with short hours.
- The Friday after, Black Friday, is not a federal holiday, but many employers give it off.
Classic Thanksgiving traditions
The day revolves around a shared meal: roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. Millions watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, which has run since 1924, followed by an afternoon of NFL football. Many families go around the table to say what they are thankful for, and plenty of people volunteer at food banks and shelters.
A stress-free cooking timeline
- Two to three weeks before: confirm the guest list and order a fresh turkey if you want one.
- About four days before: move a frozen turkey to the fridge; allow roughly one day of thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds.
- Two days before: shop for fresh produce and make cranberry sauce and pie dough.
- The day before: bake pies, prep vegetables and set the table.
- Thanksgiving morning: get the turkey in early and use a meat thermometer; it is done at 165°F in the thickest part.
Canada and beyond
Canadian Thanksgiving is a different holiday on a different date: the second Monday in October. The UK does not observe Thanksgiving, though American expats often host their own dinners.
Traveling to see family? Add the date to your calendar from this page and share the countdown in the family group chat, so everyone knows exactly how many days they have left to sort out who is bringing the pie.