Neither the 29th nor the 30th: Why Thanksgiving Can Never Fall on These Days
By law, Thanksgiving Day in the United States cannot occur later than November 28. This means the holiday will never be celebrated on the 29th or 30th of the month.
Thanksgiving, a national holiday and a time for Americans to gather in gratitude, is officially held on the fourth Thursday of November each year. The U.S. Congress established this schedule just over eighty years ago, setting the date within a fixed range that falls between November 22 and 28.
The holiday traces its roots to the harvest feast of 1621 shared by English settlers and the Wampanoag people in present-day Massachusetts. Despite its long tradition, Thanksgiving did not always follow a consistent calendar date.
From Washington to Lincoln
According to the National Archives, George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a “Day of Publick Thanksgivin.” In the years that followed, the observance varied widely, with celebrations held on different days and even in different months.
It was not until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation setting Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Because some Novembers have five Thursdays, the holiday occasionally fell on the 30th when that rule was observed.
The Modern Rule
During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, the timing of Thanksgiving was shifted to the fourth Thursday in November to standardize the celebration and lengthen the holiday shopping season. This adjustment ensured that Thanksgiving would never occur later than November 28.
Thanksgiving is described by the U.S. government as a time to “express gratitude for the good things in life.”
Author’s summary: The modern Thanksgiving schedule, fixed to the fourth Thursday of November, ensures the holiday can never extend beyond November 28 — preserving consistency for all Americans.
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