Why Thanksgiving Can Never Be on November 29th or 30th
In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is legally prohibited from falling later than November 28. This year, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
The Significance of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a harvest festival and, according to the U.S. government, "a chance for Americans to express gratitude for the good things in life." It is held annually on the fourth Thursday of November, a tradition established by Congress over eighty years ago.
Thanksgiving's Date Range
The fourth Thursday of November falls within a specific window: it cannot occur before the 22nd nor after the 28th. This fixed schedule ensures the holiday never extends to the last days of November.
Historical Origins and Date Changes
The festival traces back to a 1621 harvest feast shared by English colonists and the Wampanoag Native Americans in what is now Massachusetts. However, Thanksgiving's date has changed over time.
According to the National Archives, George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789, a “Day of Publick Thanksgivin.” Following this, subsequent observances occurred on various dates, sometimes even outside November.
Lincoln’s Proclamation and Later Adjustments
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially set Thanksgiving on the final Thursday of November. Because some Novembers have five Thursdays, this occasionally placed the holiday on the last day of the month.
“As November sometimes has five Thursdays, this meant that the holiday could fall as late as the last day of the month.”
Summary
Congress refined the holiday’s timing to ensure Thanksgiving never falls on November 29 or 30, keeping the celebration within a consistent and meaningful annual timeframe.
Author’s summary: Thanksgiving in the U.S. is fixed to the fourth Thursday of November, preventing the holiday from ever occurring on the 29th or 30th and maintaining a stable tradition.