Why Thanksgiving 2024 Is Later: Understanding the November 28 Date and Its Significance

Why Thanksgiving 2024 Falls on November 28: Understanding the Later Date and the History Behind the Holiday

Thanksgivings is the most lovingly held holiday in America – with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and family gathering. In 2024, however, many people will likely feel that the holiday is arriving rather late in their year. Thanksgiving Day 2024 will fall on Thursday, November 28, which is actually a week after the date that it had in 2023. Ever wonder why Thanksgiving falls on a different date each year? Why do you think the date seems especially late this year?

The Origins of Thanksgiving
The first documented Thanksgiving is in 1621, where 52 English settlers, called the Pilgrims, gathered with 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to celebrate a successful harvest. The three-day celebration eventually became known as the Thanksgiving tradition, though at the time it was not called as such. It was, rather, a harvest festival in which both parties gave thanks to the food and cooperation.

Why Thanksgiving’s Date Changes Each Year
While Christmas always is on December 25 or Independence Day always is on July 4, Thanksgiving does not fall on a specific calendar date. It falls on the fourth Thursday of November. As a result, this has been the practice since 1941, when Congress actually passed a law that officially designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

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Thank you, therefore, that Thanksgiving was on different dates prior to that. It was declared the first national holiday back in 1863 by then-President Abraham Lincoln and it fell on the last Thursday of November, but the then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved it up one week in 1939 in an effort to get more people to shop during the holidays. This decision was not without controversy, however, and by the late 1940s, Congress had become confused on the subject. It settled on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941.

Why Is Thanksgiving Later in 2024?
Thanksgiving can be as early as November 22 or as late as November 28, depending on how the Thursdays fall in a particular year. In 2024, the holiday is again falling on the last day of November – November 28-in part because of the way that the calendar is formatted. That’s because 2024 is a leap year and has one additional day. Five Thursdays in November allows Thanksgiving to be held earlier, as was the case in 2023, when Thanksgiving fell on November 23.

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According to the Farmer’s Almanac, Thanksgiving will always be on the fourth Thursday of the month, which occurs when November has only four Thursdays, as it does in 2024. So, the last Thanksgiving was November 28th in the year 2019, and the next Thanksgiving that will be on this date is in 2030.

Day of Thanksgiving in 2024
In 2024, Thanksgiving will take place on the last possible date: that is, on Thursday, November 28. It could be longer than ever between Thanksgiving and Christmas; however, there might be more lead time than ever before for planning and preparation for both holidays.

Looking Ahead
It may seem unusual that the holiday should come so late in 2024, but it is owed to unique calendar dynamics: the buildup of leap years and the shuffling of Thursdays. So no need to worry; after the second Wednesday in November falls on November 28 this year, the date of Thanksgiving Day will revert again to earlier dates in future years.

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