How many days until Thanksgiving?
A live countdown in your time zone. Bookmark it and check back any time.
– days to go
- Date
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- Weeks
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- Sleeps
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When is Thanksgiving?
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November, so the date changes every year. This countdown works out the date automatically.
Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier, on the second Monday in October. The day after US Thanksgiving is Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Why it's the fourth Thursday
For much of US history the date of Thanksgiving was set each year by presidential proclamation, usually on the last Thursday of November. In 1939 President Franklin Roosevelt moved it a week earlier to lengthen the Christmas shopping season, which caused confusion as some states followed and others didn't. In 1941 Congress settled it by law as the fourth Thursday of November, which is why it always falls between 22 and 28 November.
Canadian Thanksgiving is a separate holiday on the second Monday in October, closer to the traditional harvest.
Planning the meal
- Thawing a frozen turkey in the fridge takes about one day for every 4 to 5 pounds (roughly 2 kg), so a 16-pound bird needs about four days. Start earlier than you think.
- The days before and after Thanksgiving are among the busiest for US travel, so book flights and plan drives early.
- The next day is Black Friday, followed by Cyber Monday, the start of the holiday sales season.
Questions people ask
When is Thanksgiving this year?
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November. The date box above shows this year's date.
Why does Thanksgiving change date?
It's set as a weekday rule, the fourth Thursday of November, rather than a fixed date, so it falls between 22 and 28 November.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after US Thanksgiving.