When is Thanksgiving?
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. Canada's is the second Monday of October. In 2026 it falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and in 2027 it's on Thursday, November 25, 2027. When this page was last updated, on October 12, 2026, there were 45 days to go, which is about 6 weeks and 3 days. The counter at the top keeps ticking down in real time on your device, so it's always current.
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 26 | Thursday |
| 2027 | November 25 | Thursday |
A little history
The famous 1621 harvest feast between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people is usually called the first Thanksgiving, though days of thanks were common before that. Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday in 1863, and Congress fixed it to the fourth Thursday in 1941.
How people celebrate
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pie. Add the Macy's Parade in the morning and football all afternoon. One practical tip: a frozen turkey needs about a day in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 16-pounder has to start thawing on Sunday. Don't ask me how I learned that.
Closures and practical notes
Federal offices, banks, schools and the stock market close. The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year, and the following day is Black Friday.
Planning tips
It's an official US federal holiday, so plan around closures: banks, post offices and government offices shut, and mail doesn't go out. If you need to send a package or sort out paperwork, do it a couple of days before.
Long weekends mean busy roads. If you're driving, leaving early in the morning or late at night beats sitting in holiday traffic, and booking hotels two or three weeks out usually gets better prices.
How the countdown works
We count full calendar days from today's date to the holiday, using the clock on your own phone or computer, so it matches your local time zone. On the day itself the counter switches to the next year's date. Want to count to a birthday or deadline instead? Our days until any date page does that in one tap.
Frequently asked questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026.
What day of the week is Thanksgiving in 2027?
It's a Thursday (November 25, 2027).
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026 in the US. Canadian Thanksgiving was Monday, October 12, 2026.