Why is Thanksgiving always on a Thursday? With Thanksgiving just past us now, you are truly recovering from your Thanksgiving feast and already shopping for Black Friday Deals. From turkey to pies, there are many dishes that make up a Thanksgiving feast.
But do you know why Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday? Remember the ThanksGiving Thursday Rule of the The 3 T’s, Turkey, Tradition, and Thursday so you might be wondering how they all tie together?
Let us explain!
The History of Thanksgiving
There’s a good reason behind that and if you want to know why Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, then we have the answer!
The history of thanksgiving dates back to 1621.
After pilgrims had come across America they finally started building their own settlements in Plymouth Plantation where they could grow crops and build community together.
After harvests and at other periods, prayers of gratitude and special thanksgiving services are prevalent among almost all faiths. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is connected to English customs dating from the Protestant Reformation.
It also has elements of a harvest festival, even though the New England harvest occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is observed.
However, everything changed in 1789 once a proclamation by President George Washington was issued for all states to designate a Thursday in November, as a day of Public Thanksgiving. It was done at the prompting of the Federal Congress to unite the nation’s colonies.
President George Washington decided to choose Thursday because most of the weekend was spent preparing and observing religious Sabbath traditions, according to him.
Friday was also out of the question since Catholics fasted on Friday while Monday was a day after the Sabbath, making both dates inconvenient for a holiday.
Then, because it was the next weekday without conflicting with any religious observances, Thursday became the preferred option.
Thanksgiving Day Changing Dates Fiasco
Following Washington’s Decree, several subsequent presidents adopted the practice and issued new Thanksgiving dates every year.
In 1827 – Sarah Josepha Hale, the “Mother of Thanksgiving,” began a one-woman campaign to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday in order to bring the nation together during tensions between the north and south.
She said that because by this time, everyone had completed their harvest and returned home to their families, there was less chance of sickness.
Finally, for Sarah and all of us, in 1863, after 40 years of advocating and writing to various presidents, she convinced President Abraham Lincoln and Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national holiday.
Due to ongoing civil war unrest, it wasn’t until after reconstruction that the day of thanks was observed properly.
In the year 1939, there was a five-week November, which shortened the holiday shopping season. To soothe business owners, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving by a week, from November 30 to November 23.
It was dubbed “Franksgiving,” and it resulted in a lot of mayhem and confusion. Although this order only applied to Washington, D.C., Thanksgiving celebrations were disrupted across the country.
Some states followed suit and marked Thanksgiving on the 30th, while others stayed true to the 23rd, some celebrated both days, while one state, Mississippi, skipped the holiday entirely.
All uncertainty was resolved in 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill making Thanksgiving a federal holiday observed every fourth Thursday of November.
And there you have the reason behind Thanksgiving always being observed on a Thursday.
Fun Thanksgiving Traditions
When it comes to Thanksgiving, there are many different traditions that people like to follow during the holiday.
The first tradition is enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. A lot of families will host thanksgiving at their house or go out for a meal with others as well!
Another fun tradition associated with thanksgiving is watching football games all day long! It’s an American holiday after all so we like to root on our favorite teams and enjoy some nachos while we do it!
What about carving up the turkey?
This isn’t something everyone does but if you want your Thanksgiving feast to be traditional then this might be one of your must-do items. Most people take turns in carving up the turkey so that everyone can have a slice!
All of these Thanksgiving traditions are fun but there is one tradition that stands above all others… it’s eating leftovers for days following thanksgiving.
Many people go into thanksgiving knowing they will likely eat leftover sandwiches, casseroles, and more because let’s face it… Thanksgiving food rocks!
Turkey Trotting
Joining in on the annual Turkey Trot for fun or charitable purposes is a great Thanksgiving tradition.
Let’s face it, thanksgiving food can be both delicious and filling so racing around for those last few bites might not sound like the best idea but now you have an even better reason to race… charity!
Many thanksgiving events will benefit local charities or shelters that help out those in need during this holiday time of thanks.
It’s a great way to stay in shape, have fun with family and friends, AND give back all at the same time!
Thanksgiving Feast
The food is epic thanksgiving is thanksgiving.
From the turkey to stuffing, tastes of thanksgiving are some of the best things ever put on this earth!
Besides Turkey, other Thanksgiving food traditions include green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, and gravy… the list goes on forever when it comes to thanksgiving foods!
There are so many Thanksgiving food items that people love but everyone can agree on one thing for sure — eating leftovers is where its at.
If you’re looking for some great Thanksgiving recipes or ideas be sure to check out this blog post Fun Thanksgiving Recipes That Everyone Will Love.
Decorating Your Home for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time for family and thanks so why not decorate your thanksgiving dining table to make everyone feel at home?
You don’t have to go crazy with the thanksgiving centerpieces but it would be nice if you could put out something that reminds people of all things to harvest related to rich reds and greens.
Flowers, candles, and other traditional Thanksgiving items will do just fine!
So what better way to celebrate than by making sure our homes look festive as well during this holiday season?
From outside decorations such as inflatable turkeys or cornucopia and thanksgiving wreaths to thanksgiving table centerpieces, we can all work together as a family to make our homes shine for this very special holiday.
Is Thanksgiving always on the 25th?
No it is not. Though it can fall the 25th of November, it has a preset day as the 4th Thursday in November and so the date will change from year to year.
Why is Thanksgiving in November?
November was chosen as the month for the festival of thanks as it marked a period of time when the Harvests were completed, people were healthy and the bounty of the harvest was at it’s best.
Thanksgiving Thursday Summary
The tradition of Thanksgiving is one that goes well beyond the fourth Thursday in November.
It’s about giving thanks every day of the year… not just on one specific date.
It’s about spending quality time with those you care most about while enjoying delicious food! It’s also an opportunity for us all to give back during a season where so many people will be thankful for what they have been given throughout their lives.
If you’ve read this article, then you know that Thanksgiving is about more than just food. It’s a time to give thanks for all of life’s blessings and it can be one of the most rewarding days of the year!
You don’t have to go too crazy with your decorating or cooking but if during thanksgiving dinner while everyone else talks about their favorite memories from years past, why not share yours?
Why not tell people what they mean to you on Thanksgiving day so that no matter where they are in the world- even if that’s right next door –they will feel like family. That’s what Thanksgiving is really about after all: putting aside differences and celebrating our shared humanity by giving thanks for what we all have in common: the love of family and friends.
Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful and thanks so much for reading our blog, here at TravelSpock
