Federal holiday
On the fourth Thursday of November, many Americans gather with family and friends for a big Thanksgiving dinner, watch parades and football, and take time to give thanks. Not everyone marks the day in the same way.
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The fourth Thursday of November
Across the United States, mostly at home with family and friends.
Share a Thanksgiving dinner, watch a parade or a football game and say what you are thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving!: the usual greeting in the days around the holiday
Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States, held on the fourth Thursday of November, so it always falls between 22 and 28 November. Its roots lie in the days of thanksgiving and harvest celebrations of 17th- and 18th-century New England, including the harvest feast held by the Plymouth colonists in 1621, often called the “first Thanksgiving”. The modern national holiday dates from 1863, and the fourth Thursday became the uniform date across the country in 1941. Outside the United States it is often called American Thanksgiving to distinguish it from Canada’s holiday.
The centrepiece for most households is Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. Common dishes include turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes, squash, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, alongside regional favourites such as macaroni and cheese or pecan pie and dishes from families’ own heritage. Many people attend religious services, volunteer at or donate to charity dinners, and watch or take part in parades and American football games. In New York City, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, held since 1924, is broadcast nationally. The day after, known as Black Friday, is traditionally the start of the holiday shopping season.
Thanksgiving means different things to different people. Some Native Americans observe the day as a National Day of Mourning, in remembrance of their ancestors and the history that followed colonisation, and many families today choose to learn about the Wampanoag people and others whose lands the colonists settled. Customs vary between families, regions and communities.
Bring a little Thanksgiving home:
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Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so book early and expect crowded airports and roads. Many shops, offices and services close on the day itself. If you are invited to a Thanksgiving dinner, it is polite to bring a dish, a dessert or flowers.
On the fourth Thursday of November, which means between 22 and 28 November.
Turkey, potatoes, squash, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are traditional, plus many regional and family dishes.
No. Many people do, but some Native Americans mark the day as a National Day of Mourning.
