When Do Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fall on the 2025 Calendar, and Why?
Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2025, Thanksgiving will fall on November 27, one of the latest possible dates for the holiday. The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, will occur on November 28, marking the start of the holiday shopping season.
Historical Timeline of Thanksgiving Dates
Since 1942, Thanksgiving has officially been observed on the fourth Thursday in November. Before that, from President Abraham Lincoln's era, it was celebrated on the last Thursday of the month. The difference between these two practices is minor, as the holiday could fall between November 23 and November 29.
The Change Initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The shift from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday was made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. He aimed to boost the economy during the Great Depression by adding more shopping days before Christmas.
Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November in 1939, at a time when the country was still mired in the Great Depression.
By 1942, Congress made this change official through legislation.
The Modern Significance of Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, has become a significant retail event featuring major discounts and offers. It signals the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season in the U.S.
In recent decades, the day after Thanksgiving has become another kind of American holiday, with Black Friday and its big discount offerings from retailers.
Author's Summary
Thanksgiving's timing was fixed to the fourth Thursday to extend the holiday shopping period, leading to Black Friday becoming a major retail event the next day.