Thanksgiving 2026 is on Thursday 26 November, the fourth Thursday of the month and a US federal holiday. The Thursdays in November 2026 fall on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th, so the 26th is the one that counts this year.
If you only needed the date, that's it. If you run a business, a shop or a social account, the rest of this page covers the busy week around it and what to get ready before then.
Thanksgiving week 2026 at a glance
- Wednesday 11 November: Veterans Day, a federal holiday a couple of weeks earlier
- Thursday 26 November: Thanksgiving Day
- Friday 27 November: Black Friday
- Saturday 28 November: Small Business Saturday
- Monday 30 November: Cyber Monday
- Tuesday 1 December: Giving Tuesday
- Friday 25 December: Christmas Day
The federal holiday dates come from the OPM federal holidays schedule. The shopping days are simple calendar arithmetic from Thanksgiving itself: the day after, the Saturday after, the Monday after and the Tuesday after.
How the date is worked out
Thanksgiving in the US isn't tied to a fixed date. It's always the fourth Thursday in November, which is why it moves around from year to year. To find it, count the Thursdays: in 2026, November starts on a Sunday, so the first Thursday is the 5th and the fourth is the 26th.
That's also why Thanksgiving can land anywhere from the 22nd to the 28th. A late Thanksgiving, like this year's, leaves a shorter run between it and Christmas, which squeezes holiday campaigns into fewer weeks.
And Thanksgiving 2027?
Next year Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 25 November 2027, one day earlier in the month. If you plan annual content or book time off a year ahead, pop that in your calendar now.
Planning notes for small businesses
The week before Thanksgiving is when most of the work should happen. Once Thursday arrives, your audience is cooking, travelling or with family, and you'll want your posts already scheduled rather than written on the day.
- Monday 16 to Friday 20 November: write and schedule your Thanksgiving posts. Our Thanksgiving post ideas for brands give you a quick starting list.
- Same week: draft captions while you have a clear head. These Thanksgiving captions for small businesses are ready to adapt.
- Monday 23 November: confirm your Black Friday plan. If you sell online, see these Black Friday social post ideas for online shops.
- Thursday 26 November: one warm, simple thank you post. No hard sell.
- Friday 27 to Monday 30 November: run your offers and reply to comments quickly.
If your brand is more personal, a light, fun post on the day often lands better than a promotion. Something like a list of after-dinner games the whole family can play is easy to share and fits the mood.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My take: treat Thursday 26 November as a day off for your marketing too. Do the thinking the week before, schedule everything, and save your energy for the Friday to Monday stretch where the sales are.
Thanksgiving 2026 date questions
What day is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving 2026 is on Thursday 26 November. It's the fourth Thursday of November and a US federal holiday.
Is Thanksgiving always on the fourth Thursday?
Yes. US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November, so the date changes every year while the weekday stays the same.
When is Thanksgiving 2027?
Thanksgiving 2027 is on Thursday 25 November, one day earlier in the month than in 2026.
When is Black Friday after Thanksgiving 2026?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, so in 2026 it falls on Friday 27 November, with Cyber Monday on Monday 30 November.
