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EmailWhen is Thanksgiving 2013? Here is a chart with U.S. Thanksgiving dates and Canadian Thanksgiving dates for 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Thanksgiving in the United States is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated the second Monday in October.
Are you planning a traditional feast for the family? Consult the Almanac's Thanksgiving recipes page for delicious dishes, tips on how to roast the big bird, seasonal crafts, folklore, and fun!
How about some make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes to save you time? The Almanac is here to help!
Thanksgiving Dates
| Year | U.S. Thanksgiving | Canadian Thanksgiving |
| 2012 | Thursday, November 22 | Monday, October 8 |
| 2013 | Thursday, November 28 | Monday, October 14 |
| 2014 | Thursday, November 27 | Monday, October 13 |
| 2015 | Thursday, November 26 | Monday, October 12 |
United States Thanksgiving
In a 1789 proclamation, President George Washington called on the people of the United States to acknowledge God for affording them "an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness" by observing a day of thanksgiving. Devoting a day to "public thanksgiving and prayer," as Washington called it, became a yearly tradition in many communities.
Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863. In that year, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. He asked his fellow citizens to "to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise . . ."
It was not until 1941 that Congress designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, thus creating a federal holiday.
However official, the idea of a special day for giving thanks was not born of presidential proclamations. Native American harvest festivals had been celebrated for centuries, and colonial services dated back to the late 16th century. Thanksgiving Day, as we know it today, began in the early 1600s when settlers in both Massachusetts and Virginia came together to give thanks for their survival, for the fertility of their fields, and for their faith. The most widely known early Thanksgiving is that of the Pilgrims in Plimoth, Massachusetts, who feasted for 3 days with the Wampanoag people in 1621.
Turkey has become the traditional Thanksgiving fare because at one time it was a rare treat. During the 1830s, an eight- to ten-pound bird cost a day's wages. Even though turkeys are affordable today, they still remain a celebratory symbol of bounty. In fact, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin ate roast turkey in foil packets for their first meal on the Moon.
Canadian Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The first Canadian Thanksgiving Day was observed on April 15, 1872, to celebrate the recovery of the prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness.
Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas
Enjoy some of our favorite classic Thanksgiving recipes!
In need of a Thanksgiving table decoration? Try making a glove turkey!
And for some fun table talk, enjoy this turkey trivia about the all-American bird.
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Comments
By Anonymous 1
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I thought the rule was that Thanksgiving was always the 4th Thursday. I have seen calendars with Thanksgiving on the 3rd Thursday(21st)(http://www.holidaysmart.com/2013/2013_11.htm)for 2013, and calendars with Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday(28th) but not any calendars with five Thursdays in November for 2013.
By Visionet Systems
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Thanksgiving dates, 2012–2022
November 22, 2012
November 28, 2013
November 27, 2014
November 26, 2015
November 24, 2016
November 23, 2017
November 22, 2018
November 28, 2019
November 26, 2020
November 25, 2021
November 24, 2022
By Johnhenryb
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The thanksgiving ceremony first celebrated by the Pilgrims was in obedience to the Old Testament festival specified in Ex 23:16; Le 23:34; and De 29:12 Harvest festivals are common to agricultural societies and though the native Americans in attendance at that precedent setting feast also probably celebrated at the end of harvest, they were guests--not the hosts. Should we restore Biblical literacy, much of our nation's heritage would become easily understood.
By Shirley148
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Amen. I agree with you 100 %.
By Debra H.
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I am confused. It says Thanksgiving is on the last Thursday of the month. But when it falls on the 22 it is not the last Thursday. so explain that plese..
By grampabhootie
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Fourth Thursday is not always the LAST Thursday in any month. Article clearly states the fourth Thursday
By jill65
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This is the 4 th Thursday in November .We have a total of 5th Thursday in November this year.
By Sheila Bearden
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Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November not the last Thursday.
By ellie
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because of leap year it made november have 5 thursday normally it only has 4 thanksgiving so thanksgiving is on the 4th thursday. which is the 22nd.
By Almanac Staff
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Nowadays, the rule is the "fourth Thursday of November," which is why in 2012 it falls on November 22.
Before 1942, however, the date for Thanksgiving had a confusing history. The "last Thursday of November" was the rule from 1863 to 1939 (except in 1865, when President Andrew Johnson proclaimed the first Thursday in December as Thanksgiving Day, and in 1869, when President Ulysses S. Grant chose November 18, which was the third Thursday in November).
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date to November 23, the next-to-last Thursday of the month, in order to lengthen the holiday shopping season and aid retail businesses. But this caused confusion, and only about half of the states used this new date, while the others kept Thanksgiving on the last Thursday (or celebrated it twice). In December 1941, President Roosevelt signed legislation that designated the fourth Thursday in November as national Thanksgiving Day, to take effect starting in 1942. The date has not changed since that time.
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