Thanksgiving preparations have taken center stage, as plans for the food-filled celebration unfold, including a hearty Thanksgiving menu, potential Friendsgiving gatherings, and festive Thanksgiving outfits, it’s essential to know when the holiday actually falls.
Thanksgiving in 2023 is set for Thursday, November 23. Understanding why the date changes each year is crucial for planning favorite family Thanksgiving traditions and possibly getting a jumpstart on Christmas shopping.
Why is Thanksgiving not on the 30th this year?
Thanksgiving consistently falls on the fourth Thursday of November, ensuring that it can range from the 22nd to the 28th. This tradition was established in the 1930s when, after two years of Thanksgiving falling on the fifth Thursday, a law was passed in 1941, making it the fourth Thursday every November.
The earlier tradition of celebrating on the last Thursday of November, established by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War in 1863, evolved into the current scheduling norm.
The choice of Thursday for Thanksgiving dates back to Puritan times. Puritans held periodic thanksgiving days, avoiding Fridays due to Catholic fasting traditions and Saturdays for Sabbath preparations. Thursday, therefore, became the day for giving thanks, and this tradition persists.
While the first Thanksgiving was recorded in 1621, the holiday became an annual tradition during President Abraham Lincoln‘s time.
In 1863, he declared Thanksgiving a national holiday celebrated on the last Thursday of November, aiming to unite Americans during the Civil War.
The holiday’s scheduling faced a brief change in 1939 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it to the second-to-last Thursday in November to allow more shopping time leading up to Christmas. This decision, dubbed “Franksgiving,” caused confusion as some states adopted the change, while others did not.
In the end, the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November endured, marking a time for gratitude, family gatherings, and the beginning of the festive holiday season.