What Day is Thanksgiving 2025?
What Day is Thanksgiving? Mark your calendar and get ready with festive ideas, recipes, and our ultimate holiday hosting guide.

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For home cooks, bakers and table-setters everywhere, Thanksgiving holds a special place on the holiday calendar. In 2025, that date falls on Thursday, November 27, 2025. But this annual marker is more than a date, it’s the signal to ignite ovens, brine turkeys, bake pies and gather loved ones for a feast that blends tradition, gratitude and delicious ambition.
Marking November 27 on Your Holiday Table
Unlike Easter or Passover, Thanksgiving never wanders: it’s always the fourth Thursday of November. In 2025, that lands on November 27, giving cooks a clear target for menu planning and kitchen prep. From the first hint of autumn’s cool air to the urge to roll out pie dough, the steady countdown to Turkey Day shapes how we shop, cook and celebrate.
When you know your feast day down to the weekday, you can lean into the advantages it offers. A Thursday holiday can mean a long weekend for many, ideal for hosting out-of-town guests or lingering over leftovers. It also means weekday rhythms, school schedules, work deadlines and grocery-store hours—play into your prep calendar.
How the Day of the Week Shapes Your Feast
- Weekday Thanksgiving: With a Thursday holiday, you can spread tasks across Monday through Wednesday. Roast your turkey Thursday morning, but assemble casseroles the night before. Bake pies as early as Tuesday. Prepping in stages keeps your kitchen calm.
- Weekend Vibes: If it were on a Friday or Saturday, you might treat it like a mini-vacation: an elaborate brunch on Friday, leisurely cooking on Saturday and Sunday, letting guests drop in as they please. Thursday’s structure, however, invites a classic sit-down dinner and carve the turkey at 2 p.m., linger until the lights twinkle off.
Kitchen Timeline: Prep for November 27
With the big day locked in, here’s a streamlined schedule to keep your kitchen humming:
- Three Weeks Out: Draft your menu. Choose a turkey or alternative centerpiece. Decide on sides, classic mashed potatoes, green beans or a modern riff like sweet potato gratin. Jot down specialty ingredients: chestnuts, fresh herbs, or a particular flour for your pie crust.
- Two Weeks Out: Order any hard-to-find items: heritage turkey, artisanal bread, imported olives or specialty cheeses. Start drafting your grocery list by aisle.
- One Week Out: Shop for dry goods, such as flours, sugars, spices, canned goods. Prep make-ahead elements: stock and gravy base, cranberry chutney, compound butters. Freeze doughs and marinate nuts or fruits for stuffing.
- Two to Three Days Before: Pick up perishables like fresh produce, dairy, herbs. Brine or dry-brine your bird. Bake cookies, fruitcakes and pies; store in airtight containers. Assemble cold appetizers.
- Thanksgiving Eve: Set the table with linens, candles, place cards. Thaw any frozen sides in the fridge. Revisit your cooking schedule and adjust oven and burner timings.
- Thanksgiving Morning: Preheat the oven for your turkey. Roll out any final doughs. Reheat sides gently. Pour coffee or cocktails. Carve, garnish and call everyone to the table for the feast.
Global and Regional Inspirations
Thanksgiving menus have transcended the traditional turkey. Draw inspiration from around the world:
- Southern USA: Cornbread dressing, collard greens, black-eye peas, pecan pie and sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows.
- New England: Oyster stuffing, creamed onions, maple-glazed squash and cranberry-orange relish bursting with brightness.
- Italian Twist: Porchetta breast in place of turkey, polenta mash, roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic and chestnuts, topped with an almond biscotti tart.
- Latin Flair: Adobo-brined turkey, chorizo and cornbread stuffing, and flan or tres leches cake for dessert.
- Vegetarian/Vegan Feast: Herb-roasted cauliflower steaks, walnut-lentil loaf, maple-roasted root vegetables and pumpkin-coconut pie.
Thanksgiving Dates for the Next Five Years
Year | Date | Day of the Week |
---|---|---|
2025 | November 27, 2025 | Thursday |
2026 | November 26, 2026 | Thursday |
2027 | November 25, 2027 | Thursday |
2028 | November 23, 2028 | Thursday |
2029 | November 22, 2029 | Thursday |
Note how in some years, the date creeps earlier in November, that’s an extra reason to finalize menus and shopping lists well in advance.
Sweet and Savory Traditions
Every Thanksgiving deserves the classics—but don’t shy away from daring desserts and unexpected sides:
- Sweet: Salted caramel apple galette, spiced pear cobbler, flourless chocolate torte with a dusting of chili powder.
- Savory: Truffle-butter mashed potatoes, cranberry-sage focaccia, maple-roasted carrots with hazelnuts.
- Beverages: Mulled cider with star anise, rosemary-lemon spritzers, classic eggnog with a dash of bourbon.
Gathering Around the Table
Thanksgiving is more than a meal, it’s a moment to pause, reflect and feast in good company. As you pull hot dishes from the oven and fill platters with color and aroma, remember that the true centerpiece is the table itself. Whether it’s your grandmother’s family recipe or a brand-new tasting menu, the date Thursday, November 27, 2025 is your invitation to create memories that linger long after the last slice of pie is gone. Share your Thanksgiving table and traditions with us on social media, we’d love to see how you celebrate.