Thanksgiving’s celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, which means it’ll always fall between November 22 and 28. Congress established this date in 1941, ending years of confusion after President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried moving it earlier in 1939 to extend the Christmas shopping season. Before that, Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation had set it as the last Thursday of November. The holiday’s fascinating history reveals how politics, economics, and tradition shaped when Americans gather for their feast.
Key Takeaways
- Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.
- The holiday always falls between November 22 and November 28.
- Congress established this date through legislation signed by President Roosevelt on December 26, 1941.
- The date changes yearly based on which day November 1 falls on.
- When November has five Thursdays, Thanksgiving occurs on the fourth Thursday, not the last.
Why Thanksgiving Falls on the Fourth Thursday of November
While many Americans know Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday, they don’t realize there’s a specific federal law that locks it into the fourth Thursday of November. This holiday timing wasn’t always fixed. Throughout the 1800s, presidents proclaimed different November dates annually. Abraham Lincoln established the last Thursday tradition in 1863, which most successors followed.
The controversy erupted in 1939 when Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week. He’d hoped extending the Christmas shopping season would boost the Depression-era economy. Some states followed FDR’s “Franksgiving,” while others stuck to the traditional date, creating nationwide confusion.
Congress finally intervened in 1941, passing legislation that permanently designated the fourth Thursday as Thanksgiving. This resolution preserved the holiday’s cultural symbolism while accommodating years when November has five Thursdays. The law guarantees Americans can reliably plan their celebrations, maintaining the day’s significance as a time for family gatherings and reflection on gratitude.
The Original 1621 Harvest Celebration and Its Timing
The Plymouth colonists celebrated their first successful harvest in autumn 1621 with a three-day feast that brought together approximately 50 settlers and 90 Wampanoag people.
This gathering occurred sometime between late September and mid-November, after the colonists had reaped their corn, barley, and other crops.
While this event wasn’t called “Thanksgiving” at the time, it’s become the historical foundation for America’s modern holiday tradition.
Plymouth Colony’s Harvest
History’s most famous harvest celebration unfolded over three days in autumn 1621, when Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag people gathered to share food after the colony’s first successful growing season. The Plymouth harvest yielded corn, squash, and beans—crops the Wampanoag taught colonists to cultivate using fish as fertilizer. This agricultural knowledge proved vital for survival after the devastating winter that killed half the Mayflower’s passengers.
Pilgrim agriculture depended entirely on Indigenous expertise. Squanto demonstrated planting techniques that transformed the colony’s fortunes from near-starvation to abundance. The colonists’ European wheat and peas had failed, but Native crops thrived. Governor William Bradford recorded that twenty acres of corn succeeded magnificently. The harvest’s success meant Plymouth could sustain itself through winter, prompting the celebratory feast that’d become America’s founding mythology.
Three Day Feast
Setting aside exact dates, the 1621 celebration stretched across three consecutive days sometime between late September and early November, when approximately 50 colonists and 90 Wampanoag warriors gathered at Plymouth. This gathering wasn’t originally called Thanksgiving but represented a harvest celebration combining English and Native American traditions.
The three-day event featured distinct characteristics:
- Shared feast rituals included prayers of gratitude and communal dining arrangements
- Seasonal menus showcased venison, fowl, corn, squash, and shellfish
- Entertainment activities ranged from shooting demonstrations to running competitions
- Diplomatic exchanges strengthened the alliance between Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag people
Historical accounts from Edward Winslow and William Bradford confirm the celebration’s duration, though they didn’t record specific calendar dates. The feast’s timing depended on harvest completion and food availability rather than predetermined scheduling.
Wampanoag Attendance
While Plymouth colonists initially planned their harvest celebration as an internal affair, Wampanoag attendance transformed the 1621 gathering into a significant diplomatic event. The Wampanoag presence wasn’t coincidental—they’d heard gunfire from the colonists’ festivities and arrived to investigate. Led by Massasoit, approximately ninety Wampanoag men joined the fifty-three surviving colonists, doubling the gathering’s size.
The Wampanoag contributed five deer to the feast, demonstrating their diplomatic intentions and generosity. They’d maintained an essential alliance with Plymouth since the spring treaty negotiations. Indigenous perspectives reveal this wasn’t merely a social visit but a strategic political engagement. The Wampanoag saw the celebration as an opportunity to strengthen their alliance against rival tribes.
Their three-day participation established protocols for future diplomatic relations, though colonists’ records barely acknowledge the Indigenous contributions that made the feast possible.
How Presidents Shaped Thanksgiving’s Date Throughout History
Presidents haven’t just celebrated Thanksgiving—they’ve determined when Americans observe it. Abraham Lincoln‘s 1863 proclamation established the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving, creating the first standardized date after decades of scattered state celebrations.
Franklin Roosevelt’s attempt to move the holiday earlier for economic reasons and Congress’s subsequent legislation fixing it to the fourth Thursday show how presidential decisions and political pressures have directly shaped when the nation gathers for this tradition.
Lincoln’s 1863 Proclamation
Before Abraham Lincoln issued his famous proclamation in 1863, Thanksgiving celebrations varied wildly across the United States, with different states observing the holiday on different dates or not at all.
The Civil War had devastated the nation, and Lincoln recognized Thanksgiving’s potential to boost Union morale through unified religious observance.
His proclamation established:
- The last Thursday of November as the official date
- National unity through simultaneous celebration
- Gratitude focus despite wartime hardships
- Federal precedent for holiday standardization
Lincoln’s use of presidential authority transformed a scattered tradition into a cohesive national holiday.
He’d strategically chosen autumn’s harvest season, when Americans traditionally gave thanks for their bounty.
This timing also coincided with recent Union victories, making the proclamation particularly meaningful for Northern states celebrating military progress.
FDR’s Shopping Season Change
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1939 decision to move Thanksgiving earlier sparked nationwide controversy. He’d shifted the holiday from November’s last Thursday to its fourth Thursday, extending the Christmas shopping season by a week. Retailers had lobbied for this change, arguing their retail calendars needed more selling days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The president’s move divided America. While businesses embraced the extended holiday marketing opportunity, critics dubbed it “Franksgiving.” Twenty-three states followed FDR’s proclamation, but sixteen refused, creating calendar chaos. Some celebrated both dates.
Shopping psychology drove the debate. Retailers understood consumers wouldn’t begin Christmas purchases until after Thanksgiving. Sales forecasting showed the extra week could boost Depression-era revenues materially. Congress finally settled the matter in 1941, establishing Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday permanently.
Congress Sets Fourth Thursday
- Designated the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving
- Made the date federally recognized across all states
- Ended the controversial “Franksgiving” experiment
- Prevented future presidential alterations
President Roosevelt signed the measure on December 26, 1941, just weeks after Pearl Harbor.
The legislation cleverly accommodated both traditional and commercial interests. When November has five Thursdays, Thanksgiving falls earlier than the last Thursday, preserving the extended shopping season Roosevelt wanted.
This compromise has remained unchanged for over eighty years, proving Congress’s solution effectively balanced competing national interests.
Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Proclamation and the Last Thursday Tradition
This tradition continued for decades, with subsequent presidents following Lincoln’s precedent:
| President | Year | November Date |
|---|---|---|
| Grant | 1869 | November 25 |
| Cleveland | 1885 | November 26 |
| Roosevelt | 1901 | November 28 |
| Wilson | 1918 | November 28 |
| Coolidge | 1925 | November 26 |
The Last Thursday tradition remained unbroken until Franklin D. Roosevelt’s controversial 1939 decision to move it earlier. Lincoln’s original intent wasn’t just about gratitude—he’d hoped the holiday would help unite a fractured nation during wartime.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Controversial Date Change in 1939
When the Great Depression threatened to shorten the 1939 Christmas shopping season, Franklin D. Roosevelt made a bold decision that ignited the Roosevelt controversy. He moved Thanksgiving from November’s last Thursday to the third Thursday, hoping retailers would benefit from extra shopping days. The president’s announcement sparked immediate backlash and calendar politics across America.
The nation’s response revealed deep divisions:
- Republican governors refused to recognize the new date, keeping traditional celebrations
- Democratic states mostly followed Roosevelt’s proclamation, creating confusion
- Football teams scrambled to reschedule traditional Thanksgiving games
- Families struggled with conflicting state observances, sometimes celebrating twice
Critics dubbed it “Franksgiving,” mocking the president’s interference with tradition. Twenty-three states observed Roosevelt’s date, while twenty-two didn’t.
The chaos continued through 1941, when Congress finally intervened. They established Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November, a compromise that’s remained since 1942. Roosevelt’s attempt to boost the economy through calendar manipulation became a cautionary tale about presidential overreach.
The Congressional Resolution of 1941 That Fixed the Date
After two years of confusion with states celebrating on different dates, Congress stepped in to settle the Thanksgiving controversy once and for all.
On December 26, 1941, they passed a joint resolution establishing Thanksgiving as a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Roosevelt signed the legislation into law, officially ending the calendar chaos that had divided the nation’s turkey dinners between competing Thursdays.
Roosevelt’s Presidential Proclamation
Congress’s resolution established:
- Fixed timing – Thanksgiving would occur on the fourth Thursday of November
- Federal recognition – The date became an official federal holiday
- State compliance – While states weren’t required to follow, most eventually adopted the standard
- Economic stability – Retailers gained consistent planning for the shopping season
President Roosevelt signed the joint resolution on December 26, 1941, ending two years of calendar chaos.
This legislative action permanently settled the debate, ensuring Americans wouldn’t face dueling turkey days again.
The standardized date has remained unchanged for over eight decades.
Congress Makes It Law
The House of Representatives moved first to end the Thanksgiving controversy, introducing House Joint Resolution 41 in October 1941. This holiday legislation aimed to establish Thanksgiving permanently on the fourth Thursday of November, resolving years of confusion that had divided the nation.
Congressional debates revealed practical concerns about the floating holiday‘s impact on business and travel plans. Representatives argued that Americans needed consistency for family gatherings and commercial planning. The Senate quickly followed suit, recognizing that the split observance between states had become untenable.
President Roosevelt signed the resolution into law on December 26, 1941, just weeks after Pearl Harbor. Congress’s action finally settled the matter, ensuring that Thanksgiving would occur on the fourth Thursday regardless of whether November had four or five Thursdays.
When Canada and Other Countries Celebrate Thanksgiving
While Americans gather for turkey and football on the fourth Thursday of November, Canada’s Thanksgiving arrives much earlier in the calendar year.
Canadian Thanksgiving occurs on the second Monday of October, aligning more closely with the country’s harvest season. This timing difference reflects Canada’s northern latitude, where crops mature earlier than in the United States.
Several nations celebrate their own versions of harvest festivals and thanksgiving traditions:
- Germany – Celebrates Erntedankfest in early October with church services and harvest displays
- Japan – Observes Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23rd, honoring workers and production
- South Korea – Marks Chuseok in autumn with three-day festivities and ancestral ceremonies
- United Kingdom – Holds Harvest Festival celebrations in September, primarily in churches and schools
These celebrations share common themes of gratitude and abundance, though they’ve developed unique cultural characteristics.
Each country’s timing corresponds to local agricultural cycles and historical events that shaped their thanksgiving observances.
States That Initially Refused to Follow Federal Thanksgiving Dates
Although President Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, several states stubbornly resisted adopting the federal date for decades. Texas didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving until 1879, maintaining its own traditions from colonial refusals that dated back to Spanish rule. The state’s governor finally issued state proclamations aligning with the federal holiday sixteen years after Lincoln’s decree.
Southern states showed the most resistance. Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama ignored federal Thanksgiving dates through Reconstruction, viewing them as Northern impositions. They’d celebrate harvest festivals on different dates or skip the holiday entirely. Virginia created its own Thanksgiving in spring, commemorating colonial history rather than Pilgrim traditions.
Even Northern states occasionally rebelled. In 1939, when President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving earlier, twenty-three states refused to follow. Texas, Mississippi, and Colorado issued competing state proclamations, creating what Americans called “Franksgiving” versus traditional Thanksgiving. This chaos continued until Congress permanently fixed Thanksgiving’s date in 1941.
How Retailers and the Economy Influenced Thanksgiving’s Timing
Retailers pushed for an earlier Thanksgiving throughout the 1930s, hoping to stretch out the Christmas shopping season during the Great Depression. Their retail lobbying efforts targeted President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who’d eventually cave to economic incentives in 1939 by moving Thanksgiving one week earlier.
The business community’s influence on Thanksgiving’s timing stemmed from four key factors:
- Shopping Season Length – Retailers calculated that extra shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas boosted annual profits by 10-15%
- Depression Recovery – Businesses argued that earlier holiday shopping would stimulate the struggling economy
- Consumer Spending Patterns – Shoppers traditionally didn’t begin Christmas purchases until after Thanksgiving
- Manufacturing Schedules – Factories needed longer production runs to meet holiday demand
This corporate pressure created the “Franksgiving” controversy when Roosevelt’s change split the nation. Congress finally standardized Thanksgiving in 1941, establishing the fourth Thursday of November as a compromise between retail lobbying and tradition.
Calculating Future Thanksgiving Dates and Calendar Patterns
The fourth Thursday rule that Congress established in 1941 creates a predictable pattern for determining Thanksgiving’s date each year. This consistency allows anyone to calculate future dates using simple Thanksgiving algorithms. The holiday always falls between November 22 and November 28, creating a seven-day window that repeats in specific calendar cycles.
To find Thanksgiving’s date, one counts the Thursdays in November. If November 1 falls on a Thursday, there are five Thursdays that month, making the fourth one November 22. When November 1 lands on Friday or Saturday, the month contains only four Thursdays, pushing Thanksgiving to its latest possible dates.
The calendar’s 400-year cycle means Thanksgiving dates repeat their exact patterns every four centuries. Within shorter periods, the holiday’s date shifts predictably based on leap years and the seven-day week structure. These mathematical patterns help businesses, schools, and families plan years ahead with certainty about when they’ll gather for the traditional feast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens if November Doesn’t Have a Fourth Thursday?
November always has a fourth Thursday since it contains 30 days, making this scenario impossible.
Even if calendar reform altered month lengths or leap year adjustments changed dates, November would need fewer than 22 days to lack a fourth Thursday. If such an extreme change occurred, Congress would likely designate a new Thanksgiving date. The holiday’s been fixed on November’s fourth Thursday since 1941, and the calendar structure guarantees this day always exists.
Do U.S. Territories Celebrate Thanksgiving on the Same Date?
U.S. territories celebrate Thanksgiving on the same fourth Thursday of November as the mainland states. Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands all observe this federal holiday.
Territory traditions often blend American customs with local cultural elements. Holiday observance includes traditional turkey dinners alongside regional dishes, creating unique celebrations that reflect each territory’s distinct heritage while maintaining the national Thanksgiving date.
Can Employers Legally Require Employees to Work on Thanksgiving?
Yes, employers can legally require employees to work on Thanksgiving since it’s not a federal holiday that mandates closure. However, they must comply with overtime rights, typically paying time-and-a-half for hours worked over 40 in a week. Companies should also consider religious accommodations if an employee’s faith conflicts with working that day.
Many states don’t have laws specifically protecting workers from mandatory Thanksgiving shifts, though union contracts might offer additional protections.
How Do Schools Determine Thanksgiving Break Start and End Dates?
Schools typically determine Thanksgiving break dates by consulting their academic calendars months in advance.
They’ll usually schedule the break to include Thursday and Friday, though some extend it through the entire week.
Districts consider religious considerations, family travel patterns, and state education requirements when setting dates.
Most schools align their breaks with the federal Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November, ensuring families can celebrate together without conflicts.
Why Is Thanksgiving Always on Thursday Instead of Another Weekday?
Thanksgiving’s always on Thursday because of congressional decision making that solidified this weekday tradition.
President Lincoln first declared it a Thursday holiday in 1863, and subsequent presidents followed suit.
Congress didn’t officially establish the fourth Thursday of November until 1941, when they passed legislation making it permanent.
They chose Thursday because it’d been the customary day for decades, allowing a four-day weekend and avoiding interference with Sunday worship services.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving’s date has evolved from harvest celebrations to a fixed national holiday. Lincoln’s proclamation established the last Thursday tradition, while FDR’s economic concerns shifted it to the fourth Thursday. Congress finally settled the debate in 1941, creating the holiday Americans know today. Though retailers and politicians have influenced its timing, Thanksgiving’s fourth Thursday placement now serves as an anchor for America’s holiday season, balancing tradition with commercial interests that’ve shaped modern celebrations.
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