Thanksgiving 2024: After the Halloween season and before the Christmas festivities take over, there is another holiday where friends and family gather to enjoy festive meals, spend time together and express gratitude for the blessings. We’re talking about Thanksgiving. It is a national holiday in the United States. If you and your loved ones are celebrating the festival, here’s everything you need to know about it.

Thanksgiving 2024: Date

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This year it falls on November 28.

Thanksgiving 2024: History and Meaning

For a long time, the origins of Thanksgiving were never accurately depicted. Still, many see the day as an opportunity to enjoy the company of loved ones and show gratitude. The festival is also synonymous with football games, fine dining and the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Traditionally, on Thanksgiving Day, farmers thanked God for their fall harvest.

The festival’s origins date back to 1621, when a harvest festival was held between a native tribe – the Wampanoag – who had occupied the land long before and the newly established English settlers in America. It is also a story that is often told from the perspective of the white pilgrim.

(Also read | What makes Thanksgiving special and how can you celebrate it?)

However, it did not become a national holiday until 1863. In 1789, President George Washington declared Thursday, November 26, a day of public Thanksgiving. According to the White House, it was the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new constitution. Later, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday and a day off for employees.

While Americans celebrate the festival with joy, Native Americans and Alaska Natives believe the holiday masks the true history of oppression and bloodshed.

Thanksgiving 2024: How is it celebrated?

On Thanksgiving Day, loved ones gather under one roof to enjoy a hearty meal, play games and have fun. In popular culture, people who live away from their families celebrate Friendsgiving – a Thanksgiving-themed celebration – with their found family on the fourth Thursday of November. Pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and roast turkey are some of the main Thanksgiving dishes. Other customs of the day include watching the Thanksgiving Day parades, especially the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.