International Thanksgiving Date & Countdown
Calculate the date of Thanksgiving for any year based on the custom of your country and see a precise countdown.
The Difference Between US and Canadian Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a major national holiday in both the United States and Canada, but they are celebrated on different dates and have distinct historical roots. Both holidays are moveable feasts, defined by the month and the ordinal day of the week.
United States Thanksgiving
The US celebration is held on the **Fourth Thursday of November**. This date was formally set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 and confirmed by Congress in 1941. The holiday tradition is commonly traced back to a 1621 harvest feast shared by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people. The placement also strategically creates the **Black Friday** shopping day the following day.
Canadian Thanksgiving (Action de grâce)
The Canadian celebration is held earlier, on the **Second Monday in October**. The earlier date is likely due to Canada's geography, where the harvest generally concludes earlier in the year than in the US. Canadian Thanksgiving can be traced back to the 16th century, long predating the US observance.