Why Thanksgiving Is Never Celebrated on November 29th or 30th
The Thanksgiving Day national holiday in the United States is by law never held later than November 28. This year, households across the country will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27.
Timing and Origin of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a harvest festival and, as described by the U.S. government, a moment for Americans to "express gratitude for the good things in life." Established by Congress over 80 years ago as the official day for Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday falls between November 22 and November 28 inclusive.
Historical Context
Thanksgiving traces its origins to a 1621 harvest event shared by English colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans in what is now Massachusetts. The holiday has not always been fixed to its current date.
George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a “Day of Publick Thanksgivin.” However, in subsequent years, Thanksgiving was observed on various dates, sometimes outside of November.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially set Thanksgiving as the final Thursday of November. Since November can have five Thursdays, the holiday could fall on the last day of the month.
This situation arose during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration.
Summary
By law and tradition, Thanksgiving in the United States always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, ensuring it never occurs as late as the 29th or 30th.
Author’s Summary
Thanksgiving is fixed by law to the fourth Thursday in November, preventing it from ever falling on November 29th or 30th, despite the month's variable calendar.