Here’s Why Thanksgiving is So Late This Year

Wait. Thanksgiving is happening when? Why so late?

A lot of people call Thanksgiving their favorite holiday of the year. Is it yours?

Thanksgiving is November 28th this year

This year, Thanksgiving falls on the latest day possible - but, do you know why?

Federal law determines the day of Thanksgiving. It states that It must be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

This law was established in 1941, but before then, the 4th Thursday of November wasn't always the date.

According to the Washington Post, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. When it was established, it was always the last Thursday of the month, so sometimes it could be on November 30th.

It was President Franklin Roosevelt who changed the date of Thanksgiving in 1939. That year, November had five Thursdays, so Roosevelt bumped it up a week.

Why did the date of Thanksgiving change?

A lot of people weren't happy with FDR's "last minute" change.  In August of 1939, he announced that the holiday was moving up a week.

This created havoc among those with plans: parades, football rivalries, college schedules, and more.

So, why did he do it?

Simply, to help retailers and to extend the shopping season. If Thanksgiving was moved up a week, people would stop holiday shopping sooner.

Apparently, it worked, because here we are - on the 4th Thursday of Thanksgiving.

So, this year, Thanksgiving is falling on the latest possible date - the 28th. The earliest possible date for the holiday is the 22nd.

Please save me some pumpkin pie!

SOURCE: Washington Post

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