Thanksgiving is a unique occasion primarily observed in the US and Canada. People celebrate blessings and show gratitude to loved ones on this day. While expressing thankfulness is a universal emotion, there are minor differences in how this significant day is observed in each nation. Thanksgiving 2023 is scheduled for November 23.
The Date of Thanksgiving 2023
Thanksgiving is observed on November 23, 2023, although the exact day varies yearly. It always occurs on the fourth Thursday of the month. Since 1941, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt first chose to alter American custom for Christmas shopping and economic growth—and upsetting some people in the process—that has been the rule. He signed a measure making it official in 1941.
So, when is Thanksgiving 2023? Thanksgiving Day 2023 was observed on Thursday, November 23.
Thanksgiving fell on November 24 of the previous year, and it will fall on November 28, 2024, which is a little later than typical. So you won’t have as many days between Thanksgiving and Christmas to do your holiday shopping the following year. Enjoy your happy Thanksgiving.
When Thanksgiving is Observed on Thursday?
Have you ever wondered why Thanksgiving is celebrated on a Thursday instead of a Friday? Remarkably, this custom dates back to the Puritans. Thanksgivings were observed sporadically throughout the colonies to express gratitude for a blessing. Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience author Melanie Kirkpatrick notes that Thursdays were frequently the day of these days of gratitude. The Puritans presumably didn’t want to pray on a sacred day to Catholics. Therefore, they avoided Fridays as it was a day of fasting in the Catholic Church. Furthermore, Saturdays were off limits as they had to spend the day getting ready for the Sabbath, which also eliminated Sunday.
The Historical Background
The United States celebrates Thanksgiving, a national holiday with roots in early American history, on the fourth Thursday of November. The celebration of the Wampanoag tribe’s bountiful crop and the Pilgrims’ continuing existence in the New World in 1621 is widely associated. However, Thanksgiving was not officially recognized as a national holiday until 1863, during the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to their beneficent Father who dwelled in the Heavens.
Values and Customs within the Culture
A unique fusion of secular and religious components is seen in Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving 2023 is a season of contemplation and Thanksgiving, as well as family get-togethers, feasting, parades, and football.
In keeping with the original Thanksgiving’s autumnal harvest feast, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually consists of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving is made more joyous by contemporary additions like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and NFL Thanksgiving games.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving 2023 is a multifaceted festival rooted in cultural customs, historical occurrences, and American ideals. It is a day for joy, introspection, and, above all, thankfulness. But it also brings the legacy of misery and loss experienced by America’s original people. Moving forward, we must acknowledge and honor these many points of view, making the most of this holiday to reflect on the past, enjoy the present, and work towards a more inclusive future.