Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on Thursday, November 26, 2026 in the United States. It always falls on the fourth Thursday of November and is the country’s most important holiday alongside Christmas.
How long until Thanksgiving 2026? The live countdown:
Time left until Thanksgiving 2026:
Thanksgiving 2026 key facts
- Date: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
- Rule: fourth Thursday of November (federal law since 1941).
- Where: federal holiday across the United States.
- The next day: Black Friday 2026, the biggest shopping day of the year.
Why is Thanksgiving celebrated?
The tradition dates back to 1621, when the Plymouth pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared a feast after the first successful harvest. Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in 1863, and since 1941 it has been officially observed on the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving traditions
- The turkey dinner: an estimated 46 million turkeys are consumed each year, along with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
- Macy’s Parade: held in New York since 1924 and broadcast live nationwide.
- The presidential pardon: every year the president “pardons” a turkey at the White House.
- NFL football: the Thanksgiving games are a century-old tradition.
Frequently asked questions
What day is Thanksgiving 2026? Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Why does the date change every year? Because it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, not on a fixed date.
Is Thanksgiving celebrated in Latin America? It is not a holiday there, but many Latino families in the U.S. adopted it with their own recipes and traditions.
Want to know what comes next? Check the countdowns for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, or discover more U.S. holidays like July 4th and Memorial Day.