Days until Thanksgiving
Live countdown to US Thanksgiving - the fourth Thursday of November. Exact days, hours, and minutes remaining.
How Thanksgiving’s date is worked out
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November, so it always lands between November 22 and November 28. To find it, take the first Thursday of November and add 21 days. That is exactly what the counter above does each year, and it counts to the start of Thanksgiving Day, 00:00 in your local time zone. Once the day begins, it moves on to next year’s Thanksgiving.
The rule is set by law. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November in 1863. In 1941 Congress fixed it to the fourth Thursday, which took effect in 1942. Canadian Thanksgiving is different: it falls on the second Monday of October. This page counts to the US date.
Thanksgiving dates for the next five years
| Year | US Thanksgiving (4th Thursday of November) | Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday of October) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, November 26 | Monday, October 12 |
| 2027 | Thursday, November 25 | Monday, October 11 |
| 2028 | Thursday, November 23 | Monday, October 9 |
| 2029 | Thursday, November 22 | Monday, October 8 |
| 2030 | Thursday, November 28 | Monday, October 14 |
Because Christmas is fixed and Thanksgiving moves, the gap between them changes too: from 27 days when Thanksgiving is on November 28 to 33 days when it is on November 22.
Planning the meal
- Four weeks out: confirm who is coming, book travel, and order a fresh turkey if you want one.
- Two weeks out: plan the menu and make a shopping list.
- One week out: buy pantry staples, drinks and anything that keeps.
- Several days out: start thawing a frozen turkey in the fridge. The USDA advises allowing about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 16-pound bird needs about four days.
- The day before: bake pies, prep sides and set the table.
Black Friday is the next day. If you are planning for both, track the shopping deadline separately with the countdown to any date tool.
Put the Thanksgiving countdown on your Home Screen
- Install Left on your iPhone, open Ahead and tap Add a date ahead, then New date.
- Name it Thanksgiving and set Starts to this year’s date from the table above.
- Leave Repeat set to Never. A yearly repeat would keep the same calendar date, but Thanksgiving moves, so add next year’s date once this one has passed.
- Save, then add Left’s Ahead widget to your Home Screen or Lock Screen and pick the date in Edit Widget.
Left’s widgets are free, and the free plan includes 2 countdowns. See the countdown widget page for sizes and Lock Screen options.
Questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
US Thanksgiving 2026 is on Thursday, November 26. In 2027 it is on Thursday, November 25.
Why does Thanksgiving’s date change every year?
It is defined as the fourth Thursday of November rather than a fixed date, so it moves between November 22 and November 28 depending on which weekday November 1 falls on.
Is Canadian Thanksgiving on the same day?
No. Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday of October, about six weeks earlier. In 2026 it is on October 12.
How many days are there between Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Between 27 and 33 days. It is 27 days when Thanksgiving falls on November 28 and 33 days when it falls on November 22. In 2026 the gap is 29 days.
Start noticing what matters.
Download Left on your iPhone to see the time you have left, dates you are looking forward to, build the habits you want to keep, and become a better version of yourself.
Scan or search "Left" on the App Store.