Thanksgiving 2025: Dates, Traditions, and Recipes
The United States observes Thanksgiving every year on the fourth Thursday in November. In 2025, it will fall on Thursday, November 27. Since 1941, this tradition has fixed the holiday to the fourth Thursday, making the exact date shift annually. The earliest possible date is November 22, and the latest is November 28.
Why the Fourth Thursday?
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday in November in 1939. The aim was to extend the holiday shopping season, but the decision was met with widespread disagreement and eventually reversed two years later.
Historical Origins
Native American communities celebrated harvest festivals for countless generations before Thanksgiving became an official U.S. holiday. These gatherings often took place in autumn to honor the harvest’s abundance. Colonial settlers continued similar feasts as early as the late 16th century.
Proclamations by Washington and Lincoln
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln both declared Days of Thanksgiving to acknowledge divine blessings and national unity rather than commemorating a Pilgrim feast.
Thanksgiving in Canada
In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October. In 2025, it will occur on October 13. The Canadian celebration shares themes of gratitude and harvest with its American counterpart but follows its own seasonal timing.
Key Facts
- U.S. Thanksgiving 2025: Thursday, November 27
- Canadian Thanksgiving 2025: Monday, October 13
- Established as a federal holiday in 1941 on the fourth Thursday of November
- Rooted in centuries-old harvest traditions
Author’s Summary: Thanksgiving 2025 arrives on November 27, carrying centuries-old harvest roots and a history shaped by presidential proclamations and shifting national traditions.