Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrating the harvest and blessings of the past year. The United States observes Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November; Canada celebrates it on the second Monday of October.
The American tradition traces to the 1621 harvest feast shared by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag people, though the modern holiday was formalized by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 as a unifying gesture during the Civil War. Canada's earlier Thanksgiving (1578) commemorated explorer Martin Frobisher's safe return from the Northwest Passage and was formalized in 1957.
Large family gatherings featuring a roast turkey are the iconic centerpiece. The President of the United States annually pardons a turkey. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and NFL football games are widely watched. The day after (Black Friday) is the unofficial start of the US holiday shopping season.
Roast turkey with bread or cornbread stuffing. Cranberry sauce. Mashed potatoes with gravy. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie. Green bean casserole. Pecan pie. Brussels sprouts. Dinner rolls.
"Happy Thanksgiving!" · "Give thanks!"
Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year in the US — airports are packed, fares spike. Most stores, schools, and offices close Thursday and often Friday (an unofficial four-day weekend). Restaurants serve special Thanksgiving menus; reservations essential.