Is Thanksgiving Always The Fourth Thursday In November? Here’s What’s True
Ah, Thanksgiving. That glorious day of tryptophan-induced naps, mountains of mashed potatoes, and the sheer joy of arguing with your uncle about something you learned on the internet last week. It's a holiday we all know and love, and for most of us, it’s as predictable as the leaves changing color (or at least, as predictable as some leaves changing color, depending on where you live). We’ve all got it etched in our brains: Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November. Right?
Well, buckle up, buttercups, because like that cranberry sauce you’re trying to subtly avoid, things aren’t always as straightforward as they seem! While the fourth Thursday is definitely our modern-day go-to, the story of how we landed on that specific day is a bit of a journey, filled with a few bumps, some presidential pronouncements, and even a touch of culinary confusion.
So, is Thanksgiving always the fourth Thursday in November? The short answer is: mostly, and especially these days. But let’s rewind a bit. Imagine, if you will, a time before calendars were quite so precise, and before the President had the final say on turkey day. Thanksgiving wasn’t always a fixed date. It was more of a… suggestion. A holiday that various presidents would declare on different days. Sometimes it was the third Thursday, sometimes the last, and sometimes it felt like it could be whenever the mood struck!
Think about it: you’re trying to plan your epic feast, your travel arrangements, and suddenly, BAM! The President declares Thanksgiving is next week. Talk about a calendar scramble! It’s enough to make you want to skip the stuffing and just order pizza.
The real push for a consistent Thanksgiving date started gaining steam in the late 1800s. People wanted certainty. They wanted to know when to start thawing that giant bird. And who better to take charge than the Commander-in-Chief? For a long time, presidents would issue proclamations, essentially saying, "Okay, folks, this is Thanksgiving!" But these were still annual declarations, not a permanent fixture on the calendar.
Then came President Lincoln. Back in 1863, during the thick of the Civil War, he declared the last Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving Day. It was a moment of unity, a plea for peace and gratitude amidst the turmoil. Imagine the relief and maybe even a little hope that simple declaration brought to families who had so much to be thankful for, even in the darkest of times. It’s a pretty heartwarming thought, isn’t it?
But here’s where it gets a little… quirky. For decades, the tradition held: the last Thursday of November was Thanksgiving. Sounds pretty set in stone, right? Nope! Enter President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. Now, FDR was a clever fellow, and he noticed something. Sometimes, November had five Thursdays. And if Thanksgiving fell on the last Thursday, it meant a shorter Christmas shopping season. Retailers were not happy. They wanted more time to sell those fancy new gadgets and knitted sweaters.
So, FDR, ever the pragmatist (and perhaps a little influenced by the retail lobby), decided to shake things up. He moved Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November. His reasoning? To give shoppers a little extra breathing room between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This caused quite a stir! Some states went along with it, others defiantly stuck to the last Thursday. It was a national debate, with families potentially celebrating on different days. Can you imagine the Thanksgiving dinner invitations? "Come over on the fourth Thursday, unless you're in Missouri, then it's the fifth!"
This split Thanksgiving was famously dubbed "Franksgiving" by the press, a playful jab at the President’s decision. It’s a fun, albeit slightly chaotic, piece of history that reminds us that even our most beloved traditions have humble, and sometimes hilariously bureaucratic, beginnings.
Thankfully, the confusion didn't last forever. Congress eventually stepped in. In 1941, they passed a joint resolution, signed into law by FDR, officially declaring that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year. And that, my friends, is how we got the Thanksgiving we know and love today. It’s a date that’s now as solid as a pumpkin pie crust.
So, the next time you’re carving the turkey or strategically avoiding the green bean casserole (no judgment!), take a moment to appreciate the journey this holiday has taken. It wasn’t always the fourth Thursday. It was a declaration, a tradition, a presidential decree, and for a brief, funny period, even a source of national disagreement. It’s a testament to how traditions evolve, sometimes for practical reasons, sometimes for a bit of retail boost, but always with the underlying spirit of gratitude and togetherness.
And that, in itself, is something truly worth giving thanks for.