Your Thanksgiving 2025 travel guide
Thanksgiving is often a busy and stressful time to travel, but there a few ways to have a calmer travel experience.
Every year, on the last Thursday of November, Americans gather for a huge feast to give thanks.
That day, of course, is Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is known as the day to eat turkey, be merry and give thanks. It’s also the official start of the holiday season.
Unlike other holidays, like Christmas or Valentine’s Day, the date Thanksgiving falls on changes each year, but the holiday will always fall on the last Thursday of November. But why isn’t there a set date for Thanksgiving?
Here’s what to know about Thanksgiving and why we celebrate it when we do.
When will Thanksgiving be in 2025?
In 2025, Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, Nov. 27.
Why is Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November?
President George Washington declared Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, a “Day of Public Thanksgiving” after he was asked by the first Federal Congress, according to the National Archives. It was the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the country’s new Constitution.
Presidents after Washington also issued a Thanksgiving proclamation, but the months and days Thanksgiving was celebrated varied. With President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation, Thanksgiving became regularly celebrated on the last Thursday in November.
According to the National Archives, the last Thursday in November fell on the last day of the month in 1939, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved that year’s Thanksgiving to the second-to-last Thursday of November to extend the Christmas shopping season. But not all states followed suit: 32 issued similar proclamations, of which 16 kept Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November.
By 1941, the House of Representatives passed a joint resolution declaring Thanksgiving Day to be the last Thursday in November. The Senate amended the resolution, making the holiday the fourth Thursday in November, and Roosevelt signed it in December 1941.
Today, Thanksgiving is recognized by the federal government to fall on the fourth Thursday of November.
Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
