Thanksgiving 2025: Dates, Traditions, and History
The United States observes Thanksgiving as a national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2025, Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 27.
Since 1941, Thanksgiving Day has officially been held on the fourth Thursday of November, meaning the date changes every year. The earliest possible date is November 22, and the latest is November 28.
Why the Fourth Thursday?
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving from the fourth to the third Thursday in November, hoping to extend the holiday shopping season. However, the decision proved unpopular, and in 1941, Congress fixed the celebration to the fourth Thursday permanently.
Historical Background
“Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln proclaimed national days of Thanksgiving, but these events were rooted in gratitude for peace and unity rather than Pilgrim feasts.”
The idea of a national day of thanks predates the famous Pilgrim meal often associated with the holiday. Indigenous peoples in North America had celebrated harvest festivals for centuries before the United States formalized Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
Canadian Thanksgiving
In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. In 2025, it will take place on Monday, October 13. Canadian Thanksgiving also honors the harvest and the changing of the seasons.
Origins of Harvest Celebrations
Before colonial times, Native American communities held autumn festivals marking the end of the growing season. These gatherings celebrated abundance, nature, and community long before the first European settlers arrived.
Author’s Summary: Thanksgiving 2025 will be celebrated on November 27 in the U.S., continuing a tradition rooted in gratitude and harvest celebrations that long predate modern observances.