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About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. In the US, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November; in Canada, on the second Monday of October. The holiday centres around giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and the preceding year, typically celebrated with a large family meal.

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays in American culture, rivalling Christmas in terms of travel and family gatherings. It also marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, with Black Friday following the next day.

History & Origins

The American Thanksgiving tradition is commonly traced to a 1621 harvest feast shared by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag people. However, days of thanksgiving were common in colonial America and had roots in both English harvest festivals and Native American celebrations.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863, during the Civil War, setting it on the last Thursday of November. In 1941, Congress officially established the fourth Thursday of November as the federal holiday. Canadian Thanksgiving, with its own distinct history, was officially established as a national holiday in 1879.

How It's Celebrated

• Turkey dinner — A roast turkey is the centrepiece of nearly every Thanksgiving meal in the US, accompanied by stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie.
• Family gatherings — Thanksgiving is the busiest travel period in the US, as millions of Americans return home to celebrate with family.
• Parades — The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, featuring giant character balloons, has been a tradition since 1924.
• Football — Watching NFL games on Thanksgiving is a deeply ingrained American tradition dating back to 1934.
• Gratitude — Many families share what they are thankful for, either around the table or through community service and volunteering.