Thanksgiving

Celebrated on 11/26/2026

Quick Fact

The first Thanksgiving feast in 1621 lasted three days and was attended by 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Native Americans. Turkey may not have been on the menu; historians believe the meal likely included venison, wildfowl, and seafood.

Origins and Establishment of Thanksgiving

The traditional origins of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621, when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony shared a harvest feast with the Wampanoag people. However, the holiday's formal establishment came much later. In 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation for a day of national thanksgiving, but it was not an annual event. The modern Thanksgiving holiday was largely shaped by Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, who campaigned for decades to make it a national holiday. In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to be observed on the last Thursday of November, aiming to foster unity and gratitude.

Evolution and Modern Commemoration

Thanksgiving evolved from a regional New England tradition to a nationwide celebration. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week to extend the Christmas shopping season, causing controversy. In 1941, Congress passed a law fixing Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. Today, Thanksgiving is a secular holiday marked by family gatherings, feasts featuring turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and parades like Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It also unofficially kicks off the Christmas shopping season with Black Friday.

Facts & General Observations - Approximately 46 million turkeys are consumed each Thanksgiving in the United States. - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been held annually since 1924, drawing about 3.5 million spectators in person and 50 million television viewers. - The Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, as kitchen sinks and garbage disposals often clog from holiday cooking.

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