It's officially November—a month full of wondrous holidays! Though, we can bet that many of you will declare this month the season of Thanksgiving prep, because we truly do spend weeks-upon-weeks planning out the food-filled holiday! Such details include a hearty Thanksgiving menu (for our hosts out there), a potential Friendsgiving for those who love a little get-together, and, of course, a festive Thanksgiving outfit! But, when exactly is Thanksgiving?
It may sound silly, but if you don't know why the date changes every year, then it's a perfectly valid question! Thanksgiving can fall earlier or later in the month, so knowing how much time you have before the day of the big feast is super important. How else will you be able to squeeze in all your favorite family Thanksgiving traditions? (And hey, you might even want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping—we wouldn't blame you!)
When is Thanksgiving 2023?
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Knowing the date year after year might sound tricky, but it could be easier to remember it like this: Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday of November! Also, a good fact to note is that the absolute latest Thanksgiving can occur is on the 28th of November, while the earliest it could occur is on the 22nd.
Why is Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November?
Every year, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November. However, Thanksgiving used to be celebrated on the last Thursday of the month. In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Thanksgiving proclamation and asked for Americans to set aside the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. After that, it became the norm to hold the holiday on that day.
However, in the 1930s, there were two years when Thanksgiving fell on the fifth Thursday of November, reports NPR. Business owners complained to President Franklin D. Roosevelt that this would hurt retailers because there was less time to shop for Christmas. To remedy this, Congress passed a law in 1941 that officially made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of every November. Whew!
Why is Thanksgiving always on a Thursday?
If you've ever wondered why Thanksgiving is on a Thursday instead of a Friday, you aren't alone. It seems obvious to grant everyone an automatic three-day weekend!
Surprisingly, this tradition dates back to Puritan times. In the colonies, Thanksgivings were held periodically to give thanks for a "blessing," according to Time. Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience, says that oftentimes these days of thanks fell on Thursdays. They avoided Fridays because it was a day of fasting in the Catholic Church—the Puritans probably wanted to avoid praying on a day holy to Catholics. And Saturdays weren't an option as they spent the day preparing for the Sabbath—which also left Sunday out of the question.
But hopefully for you, the Thursday holiday means you instead get a rare four-day weekend! After all, the day after on Friday is the perfect time to get cozy and catch any Thanksgiving movies you might've missed.
When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2023?
Everyone knows that the next big events that come after Turkey Day are: Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Officially speaking, Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving, with Cyber Monday always falling on the Monday after Black Friday. It shouldn't be too confusing, but just so you know for this year, Black Friday is Friday, November 24, and Cyber Monday is on Monday, November 27.
While we have you here, make sure you shop the early Black Friday deals over at Walmart, which has tons of neat products, including some special items from our very own The Pioneer Woman collection!
Erin Cavoto is the Editorial Assistant at ThePioneerWoman.com, covering food, holidays, home decor, and more.
