Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
By: Don Vaughan (Britannica)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
And why the fourth Thursday, for that matter?
Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays in the United States, but formally establishing the day on which it is to be observed was difficult and fraught with controversy. By federal law, Americans have celebrated Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November since 1942, but numerous other dates were designated in the past.
It is believed that America's first Thanksgiving, actually a harvest feast that brought together 53 Pilgrims and some 90 Native Americans, occurred in the fall of 1621. Beginning in 1668, the holiday was celebrated on November 25, but that lasted only a few years. In 1789 Pres. George Washington decreed Thursday, November 26, as a day of public thanksgiving, but, in the years that followed, the holiday bounced informally from month to month and date to date. The last Thursday in November became the norm in 1863 with a declaration by Pres. Abraham Lincoln.
In 1939 some Americans had the option of celebrating Thanksgiving on two different dates. Because that year had five Thursdays in November, retailers asked Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt to push the holiday back a week in order to give people more time for holiday shopping. Roosevelt agreed, but many saw the move as nothing but a money grab by retailers, and several governors declared that the holiday would be celebrated in their states on the traditional last Thursday. The battle was finally settled when Congress passed a law in December 1941 that made Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November.
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This seems to be a good time to post this article.
It was always strange to me that a major holiday would be held on a Thursday rather than a Friday or Monday that would have created a long weekend, making it easier for family members to travel for a family get-together. This article may have explained why, since it was by decree, but I still don't understand why a Thursday.
It does create a four day weekend for many. Closed both Thursday and Friday.
I guess that does make it more of a "holiday" and it allows more time for those who have to travel far in order to attend their family celebrations.
Great point
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It fits in with hunting season
Not being a hunter, I would never have thought about that.
If you know many hunters, that is the most hunter thing they would say.
Absolutely everything revolves around hunting season.
Well,as I've often said, Chacun à son goût.
I don't get the joke, but maybe charger 383 does.
It's just a hunter thing.
Most guys who hunt have a running joke about events being scheduled or ignored based on their overlapping hunting season.
Even though I was my school's rifle marksman champion, the only guns I ever owned or wanted were my water pistol and cap gun when I was a kid.
I remember one year Thanksgiving dinner being later than planned because older cousin got a big Buck.
The Thanksgiving meal had venison in addition to turkey and all the usual good stuff.
Some years school was closed for First Day of Hunting Season (which is an unofficial holiday in rural areas) or if you showed a hunting license it was an excused day. First day was Monday a week before Thanksgiving.
You could almost call that "Good Will Hunting".
LOL-- me too ! ( but I was in my school's army cadet corps unit ! )
Yeah, but you were probably using the school's rifle for marching (and marksman shooting?).
When I was little kids were told if we talked about Christmas presents before Thanksgiving Santa would hear you and would not come.
When I was little, was told to do the next right thing.
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That's mean.
The Elf on the shelf watched you too and he would tell Santa and worse Santa could see your school report card.
That wouldn't bother me. I was awarded with a prize and my name went up on a plaque in the hall of the public school I graduated from, as having the highest total mark of all the graduates.