Thanksgiving 2025: Why It's on a Thursday, Plus Some History

Every November, lots of us in the US get together for turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie to celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s about being thankful, hanging out with family, and thinking about the good stuff. This holiday is built on old traditions that have become a big deal for the whole country.

In 2025, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 27. But why Thursday? How did that become the official day? Let's look at the history and what Thanksgiving means today.

How Thanksgiving Started

The story starts way before it became a holiday. Back in 1621, the Pilgrims – English people who came over on the Mayflower – had a harvest meal with the Wampanoag people in Plymouth Colony (now Massachusetts).

The first year was rough, but the Pilgrims grew crops with help from the Wampanoag, especially a guy named Squanto, who showed them farming tips. They had a three-day meal to celebrate the harvest.

That meal is called the First Thanksgiving, but Native Americans and European settlers had thank-you celebrations before that. Native tribes had their own ceremonies for nature, and Europeans had harvest festivals from their home countries.

It took a few centuries for Thanksgiving to turn into what we know now.

Becoming a National Holiday

For a while, Thanksgiving was just a regional thing. Some states celebrated, some didn't, and the date wasn't set.

Sarah Josepha Hale helped make Thanksgiving a national holiday. She was the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book and wrote Mary Had a Little Lamb.

For years, Hale pushed for a national Thanksgiving, writing to presidents and other leaders. She thought a day of thanks could bring the country together, especially before the Civil War.

She got her wish in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. In the middle of the Civil War, Lincoln said we should have a day of Thanksgiving and Praise on the last Thursday in November.

So, we celebrated Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November until things changed in the 20th century.

The Thursday Thing

Why Thursday? It goes back a while.

Early on, in New England, days of prayer and thanks were often on Thursdays. It made sense because Sunday was for church, and Thursday gave people time to get ready for and recover from get-togethers.

When Lincoln made Thanksgiving official in 1863, he stuck with the Thursday thing. Presidents kept it up after that.

The Franksgiving Mess

The Thursday thing almost ended in 1939 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday in November. He wanted to make the shopping season longer to help the economy during the Great Depression.

People were not happy. They didn't want to change their traditions. Some states had Republican Thanksgiving on the old date, and others had Franksgiving on the new one.

To fix it, Congress made a law in 1941 that set Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. So, Thursday stayed, and everyone was on the same page.

That's why Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, whether it’s November 22nd or 28th.

Thanksgiving 2025: What’s Up

In 2025, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 27. That means:

Black Friday is November 28, 2025.

Cyber Monday is December 1, 2025.

Christmas shopping starts right after Thanksgiving weekend.

Since Thanksgiving is near the end of the month in 2025, families might get a longer weekend to travel and chill before Christmas gets crazy.

How We Celebrate Now

Even though the history is complicated, Thanksgiving is mainly about being thankful, spending time with family, and eating good food. Here’s how we do it:

The Meal

The Thanksgiving meal is big. Turkey is usually the main dish, with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.

Some families add dishes from their own cultures, which makes the meal even better.

Saying Thanks

A lot of families start the meal by saying what they're thankful for. It’s a simple way to remember what the holiday is really about: appreciating the good stuff.

Parades and Football

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is a big deal. People watch it on TV. There are floats, balloons, bands, and music.

After the parade, it’s football time. The NFL has Thanksgiving Day games with teams like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.

Helping Others

Thanksgiving is also about being generous. People volunteer at soup kitchens, give food, or help local charities to make sure everyone can enjoy the holiday.

What Thanksgiving Really Means

Besides the food and fun, Thanksgiving is a time to stop and think. It’s easy to forget the good things – our friends, family, health, and chances we get. Thanksgiving helps us remember to be thankful.

It’s also a time to be honest about history. Some people use the holiday to learn about Native American stories and remember the tough history. Being thankful and knowing the truth makes Thanksgiving better for everyone.

To sum it up:

Thanksgiving 2025 is on Thursday, November 27.

It’s always on a Thursday because of old traditions and a law from 1941.

It comes from harvest parties, presidents making announcements, and being thankful.

Whether you're with family, friends, or by yourself, Thanksgiving is a reminder to be grateful – not just for what we have, but for the people and moments that make life good.

So, when November 27, 2025, gets here, take a breath, be thankful, and enjoy every bite – of your turkey and your time with others.