Oreo Thanksgiving flavors revealed. Where to buy new cookies
As Thanksgiving rolls around, Oreo wants to be sure that their cookies are on everyone’s table with new Thanksgiving flavors.
- Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.
- Florida should have a warm and sunny Thanksgiving Day.
- Tons of stores are offering precooked Thanksgiving dinners for those who want to spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the holiday.
With Halloween behind us, the first feast of the holiday season is next up on everyone’s calendar—Thanksgiving.
The annual holiday celebrated in the United States is meant to represent a 1621 harvest feast among English colonists in Plymouth and Wampanoag Native Americans, according to Britannica.
Today, Americans celebrate with family and friends by gathering over Thanksgiving dinner, throwing on the NFL game and preparing for a bit of holiday shopping on Black Friday.
Here’s everything you need to know to celebrate Thanksgiving 2025.
When is Thanksgiving?
We’ll be gathering at our tables at Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 27.
What do we celebrate on Thanksgiving?
While modern day Thanksgiving is based on a 17th century harvest, it wasn’t an annual tradition in the United States until the middle of the 19th century, according to the Britannica.
Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, a popular magazine at the time, campaigned for the national holiday to promote unity during the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national holiday on Oct. 3, 1863, and it was celebrated on Nov. 26.
Thanksgiving didn’t become a federally mandated holiday afterward, but it became an annual tradition for the president to proclaim the holiday and the date.
Ultimately, it was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
What is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner?
Traditionally, Thanksgiving dinner is a large spread of food centered around a roasted turkey. The side dishes that often pop up alongside the turkey are a little more personal, with most families coming up with their own traditions.
Some of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes include potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, green beans, cranberry, rolls and more.
When is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Along with Thanksgiving comes the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
The 99th annual parade will begin on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 8:30 a.m. ET and end at 12 p.m., according to Macy’s website.
The parade will be aired on NBC and Peacock.
What will the weather be like on Thanksgiving in Florida?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts near-average temperatures in the Florida Panhandle throughout November, which is around 54 degrees. Expect temperatures to be warmer than average during the week of Thanksgiving, however.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) has predicted that we are likely to see above-normal temperatures in November due to the active La Niña, which tends to create warmer and drier conditions in the southeast.
Here are the Pensacola area’s daily temperature normals between 1991 and 2020 for Nov. 27:
- Average temperature normal: 58.6 degrees
- Maximum temperature normal: 68.8 degrees
- Minimum temperature normal: 48.4 degrees
Will it rain on Thanksgiving in the Florida Panhandle?
The Panhandle’s current trend of seeing below-normal precipitation seems likely to continue into November. The Almanac forecasts that the Panhandle will have a sunny Thanksgiving week.
Precooked and store-bought Thanksgiving dinners
What’s better than a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner? One that you don’t have to cook yourself. Here’s a list of precooked Thanksgiving meals you can buy this year.
Cracker Barrel — Starting at $119.99, Cracker Barrel is offering two heat-and-serve Thanksgiving dinners. These can be picked up between Nov. 22 and Nov. 30.
- Thanksgiving heat and serve family dinner | $119.99: Serves four to six people and includes one turkey breast, sweet potato casserole and green beans served with dressing, gravy, cranberry relish and rolls.
- Thanksgiving heat and serve feast | $189.99: Serves eight to 10 people and includes two turkey breasts, sweet potato casserole and green beans served with dressing, gravy, cranberry relish and rolls. Also includes pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert.
Publix — Starting at $49.99, Publix is offering nearly a dozen Thanksgiving meals that serve as few as three people and as many as 15.
- Complete Publix turkey dinner | $69.99-$139.99: Two options serve about eight people or up to 15. Includes fully cooked turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry orange relish, marshmallow delight and homestyle gravy.
- Publix turkey dinner with rice and plantains | $69.99-$139.99: Two options serve about eight people or up to 15. Includes a fully cooked turkey, rice and pigeon peas, sweet plantains with bacon and onions, dulce de leche milk-infused bar cake, homestyle gravy and cranberry orange relish.
- Boar’s Head classic roast turkey dinner | $55.99: Serves about three people and includes 2.4 pounds of Boar’s Head classic roast turkey breast, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, marshmallow delight and cranberry orange relish.
- Boar’s Head carve and serve turkey breast dinner | $79.99: Serves about seven people and includes 3.75 pounds of Boar’s Head turkey breast, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, marshmallow delight and cranberry orange relish.
- Boar’s Head sweet slice boneless ham dinner | $49.99-$79.99: Two options serve three or eight people. Includes Boar’s Head sweet slice boneless ham, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and marshmallow delight.
- Boar’s Head classic hickory ham dinner | $49.99: Serves about three people and includes 2 pounds of Boar’s Head hickory smoked ham, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and marshmallow delight.
- Publix mojo pork dinner | $69.99: Serves about eight people and includes five pounds of mojo pork, rice and pigeon peas, sweet plantains with bacon and onions, dulce de leche milk-infused bar cake, homestyle gravy and cranberry orange relish.
The Honey Baked Ham | $179.99 — The Honey Baked Ham Co. is offering a Thanksgiving dinner that serves between 14 and 18 people. Guests can choose between a bone-in ham half that has been slow-smoked for up to 24 hours or oven-roasted whole turkey:
Your choice of:
- Bone-in half ham slow-smoked with a signature sweet crunch glaze (9 pounds)
- Slow-roasted whole turkey (11 to 13 pounds)
Sides include:
- Green bean casserole with mushrooms and red peppers, tossed in a creamy butter, celery, onion and rosemary (24 ounces)
- Country cornbread stuffing made of sweet and savory cornbread tossed with creamy butter, celery, onion and rosemary (22 ounces)
- Savory gravy (24 ounces)
Aldi — Aldi is offering a full Thanksgiving meal for just $40 that can feed up to 10 people. The caveat? You’ll have to cook it yourself. The feast provides a 14-pound whole turkey, on average, plus ingredients to make green bean casserole, marshmallow delight, dressing and dessert.
Amazon — Yes, believe it or not, you can now buy a whole Thanksgiving dinner on Amazon, too. However, like Aldi’s deal, you’ll have to do the cooking. The $25 meal that feeds five will go on sale between Nov. 12 and Nov. 27. Here’s what it includes:
- Butterball frozen turkey (8 pounds)
- Homestyle stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy
- Green bean casserole
- Crescent roles
- Holiday pie
What stores will be open on Thanksgiving 2025 in the Florida Panhandle?
Let’s face it, holiday shopping is a nightmare. It gets especially bad when you realize you need to make a last-minute trip to the store. Figuring out whether stores are open or closed on Thanksgiving can be a difficult task as stores often vary based on location.
Here is a list of stores we currently know will be open on Thanksgiving this year.
- Bass Pro Shops — Stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- CVS — Stores will be open but may be operating at reduced hours. Check with your local store for specific hours.
- Dollar General — Stores will be open, but hours will vary by location
- Family Dollar — Stores will be open, but hours will vary by location
- The Fresh Market — Stores will be open, but hours will vary by location
- Piggly Wiggly — Stores will be open, but hours will vary by location
- Starbucks — Starbucks stores will be open, but each location’s hours will vary.
- Walgreens — Most 24-hour locations will be open regular hours. Most other locations should be open, but may be operating at reduced hours.
- Wawa — Most stores will be open 24 hours
What stores will be closed on Thanksgiving 2025 in the Florida Panhandle?
Here’s a list of stores we know will be closed on Thanksgiving.
- Aldi
- Barnes & Noble
- Bath & Body Works
- Bealls
- Belk
- Best Buy
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Burlington
- Costco
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Dillard’s
- DSW
- GameStop
- Guitar Center
- Harbor Freight
- Hobby Lobby
- Home Depot
- HomeGoods
- JCPenney
- Kohl’s
- Lowe’s
- Marshalls
- Petco
- PetSmart
- Publix
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- TJ Maxx
- Ulta
- Walmart
- World Market
