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Thanksgiving Day 2026
Thanksgiving Day in the United States is a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 that is Thursday, November 26. It is widely marked with a family, friends, or chosen-family meal, gratitude traditions, and events such as parades and football. It is not the same as Canadian Thanksgiving (second Monday in October). The Friday after is Native American Heritage Day.
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About Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day in the United States is a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 that is Thursday, November 26. It is widely marked with a family, friends, or chosen-family meal, gratitude traditions, and events such as parades and football. It is not the same as Canadian Thanksgiving (second Monday in October). The Friday after is Native American Heritage Day.
U.S. fourth Thursday vs Canadian Thanksgiving vs day-after Heritage Day
| Name | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving Day (U.S.) | 4th Thursday November (2026 = Nov 26) | This page - federal holiday |
| Canadian Thanksgiving | 2nd Monday October | Different country and date - do not merge |
| Native American Heritage Day | Friday after Thanksgiving (2026 = Nov 27) | Day after - related neighbor |
| Friendsgiving | Often weekend before | Informal related meal |
| National Family Week | Week including Thanksgiving | Related week observance |
| World Sustainable Transport Day (UN) | November 26 fixed | Same civil date 2026 - label only |
Upcoming fourth Thursdays do not freeze on November 26 every year: 2026 Thursday, November 26; 2027 Thursday, November 25; 2028 Thursday, November 23; 2029 Thursday, November 22; 2030 Thursday, November 28. Native American Heritage Day is the required next-day neighbor. Canadian Thanksgiving stays on its October date. National Family Week is the surrounding week observance. Friendsgiving is an informal chosen-family meal. World Sustainable Transport Day shares the 2026 civil date only. See the November 26 hub for other listings that day.
A short, defendable timeline
1621 gathering (high-level). Secondary U.S. histories often cite a 1621 Plymouth/Wampanoag harvest gathering as an early touchstone. Keep that high-level and multi-perspective careful - not a cartoon "first Thanksgiving" sermon and not invented myth detail. George Washington issued a thanksgiving proclamation in 1789 - early national observance context, not the modern fixed fourth-Thursday rule by itself.
Lincoln, 1863, and the 1941 date rule. Abraham Lincoln's 1863 proclamation is widely cited as establishing an annual national Thanksgiving Day in late November. After FDR-era calendar experiments, Congress fixed Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941. That is the modern federal date rule. This page does not use an alcohol-party thesis, freeze upcoming dates on November 26 every year, merge with Canadian Thanksgiving, or treat Native American Heritage Day as "also Thanksgiving."
How to mark Thanksgiving Day
- Share a meal with family, friends, or chosen family.
- Do a gratitude round - short and sincere beats a performance.
- Watch a parade or football if that is your tradition.
- Volunteer or support a food bank if that fits how you mark the day.
- Walk or rest with people you care about after the meal - quiet time counts.
Answer-ready summary
Thanksgiving Day in the United States is a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 that is Thursday, November 26. It is widely marked with a shared meal and gratitude traditions. It is not Canadian Thanksgiving (second Monday in October). The Friday after is Native American Heritage Day. Upcoming dates follow the fourth-Thursday rule - they do not freeze on November 26 every year.
Facts
- The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 and lasted three days
- Americans eat about 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving
- The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started in 1924
- Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared it
- The average Thanksgiving meal contains about 3,000 calories
Upcoming dates
- Thursday, November 26, 2026
- Friday, November 26, 2027
- Sunday, November 26, 2028
- Monday, November 26, 2029
- Tuesday, November 26, 2030
What you need
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Thanksgiving is the table, not a new range.
Frequently asked questions
When is Thanksgiving Day in 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026 - the fourth Thursday of November.
Is today Thanksgiving Day?
No. Thanksgiving Day in 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, not today.
Why the fourth Thursday?
Congress fixed the federal observance on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941.
Is it a federal holiday?
Yes. Federal offices are closed; many schools and businesses follow federal or local holiday schedules. Confirm mail/bank/retail calendars locally.
Is it the same as Canadian Thanksgiving?
No. Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October.
What about the day after?
The Friday after Thanksgiving is Native American Heritage Day (and is also widely called Black Friday for shopping - see that page for careful framing).
What are the upcoming fourth Thursdays?
2026 November 26; 2027 November 25; 2028 November 23; 2029 November 22; 2030 November 28.
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