Thanksgiving will fall on November 27 this year, marking the second-latest date possible for the holiday. The last time Thanksgiving occurred later was in 2024, when it landed on November 28. For context, the earliest possible date for Thanksgiving is November 22, a situation that has not been seen since 2018 and will not occur again until 2029.
The shifting date of Thanksgiving can be attributed to its historical roots and the decisions made by various U.S. presidents. The United States began officially celebrating Thanksgiving in 1789 when President George Washington proclaimed a “Day of Publick Thanksgiving.” That year, the holiday was observed on November 26. For the subsequent seventy years, Thanksgiving dates varied significantly, sometimes even moving outside of November.
According to the Library of Congress, President James Madison declared Thanksgiving on different dates: September 9 in 1813 and March 16 in 1815. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln established a more consistent framework by proclaiming Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. This system, however, had its exceptions; notably, in 1865, President Andrew Johnson inadvertently missed issuing a proclamation and had to declare Thanksgiving on the first Thursday of December.
Thanksgiving remained on the last Thursday in November for nearly another seventy years until President Franklin D. Roosevelt intervened in 1939. Concerned that Thanksgiving falling on November 30 that year would shorten the Christmas shopping season during the recovery from the Great Depression, Roosevelt moved the holiday to the second-to-last Thursday of November. This change met with mixed reactions, as only 32 states complied while 16 others retained the traditional last Thursday celebration.
Ultimately, in 1941, Congress standardized Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November, a decision that has remained in place. As a result, Thanksgiving will be celebrated earlier next year, on November 26, 2025.
The fluctuating date of Thanksgiving highlights the holiday’s evolving nature and its deep historical roots. As families prepare for their celebrations, they can reflect on the long journey of this cherished tradition.
