Thanksgiving (United States) 2026
Thanksgiving (United States) 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026.
What is Thanksgiving (United States)?
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November — November 26 in 2026 — and is one of the most widely observed holidays in American life, built around a shared meal and gratitude rather than a specific historical event with a fixed date.
Where the tradition comes from
The holiday's popular origin story points to a 1621 harvest celebration shared by Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people, though annual observance wasn't formalized until Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving in 1863, during the Civil War. The date moved to the fourth Thursday of November by federal law in 1941, settling a brief controversy after Franklin Roosevelt had shifted it earlier to extend the Christmas shopping season.
How it's observed in 2026
Thanksgiving closes federal offices, banks, most schools, and the vast majority of private businesses — it's one of the few US holidays where even most retail closures are near-total, with the notable exception of the shopping rush that begins the next day, widely known as Black Friday.
Common questions
What date is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026 — the fourth Thursday of November.
Is the Friday after Thanksgiving also a holiday?
It's not a federal holiday, but many employers give it as paid time off, and it's widely known as Black Friday for its retail sales.
Is Thanksgiving only celebrated in the United States?
No — Canada observes its own Thanksgiving on a different date (the second Monday of October), with separate historical origins.