How many days until Thanksgiving?

Worked example

Say it's Friday, November 13, 2026. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026, so the countdown reads 13 days: 1 weeks and 6 days. Of those days, 9 are weekdays and 4 are Saturdays or Sundays. If you're hosting with a 16-pound frozen turkey, it needs about 4 days to thaw in the fridge, so it goes in on the Sunday before. Count back from there for your shopping trips and you've got a plan.

Thanksgiving dates for the next few years

For the history of the date and dates further ahead, see when Thanksgiving is each year.

How the countdown works

Thanksgiving Day is set by federal law as the fourth Thursday in November (5 U.S.C. 6103; the National Archives tells the story of how it was fixed in 1941). The countdown finds the first Thursday of November and adds three weeks. It counts whole calendar days from today, not including today, using the date on your own device, so it's right wherever you are in the US. Thawing times come from the USDA's safe thawing guide.

Make the most of the time left

Start with our step-by-step guide to planning Thanksgiving dinner, then fill in a Thanksgiving menu template and a Thanksgiving grocery list. Cooking the bird? Check how long to cook a turkey, and if the budget is tight, here's how to do Thanksgiving on a budget. Counting down to December too? Use our Christmas countdown planner.

Host without the scramble

Plan Thanksgiving in one evening

The Thanksgiving edition of our meal planner comes in a warm harvest design with a Thanksgiving Day timeline, a guest and dish sign-up and a grocery list sorted by aisle.

• Thanksgiving Day cooking timeline
• Guest and dish sign-up sheet
• Aisle-sorted grocery list, plus pantry and freezer trackers

Buy · $4.99See inside

Planning through New Year's? Get the Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (instead of $25.94 bought separately).

Questions, answered

How many days until Thanksgiving? As of Friday, November 13, 2026, there are 13 days until Thanksgiving, which is on Thursday, November 26, 2026. That is 1 weeks and 6 days, including 4 weekend days. The countdown at the top of this page updates itself every time you open it.

What date is Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving in the United States is always the fourth Thursday in November. That is Thursday, November 26, 2026, Thursday, November 25, 2027 and Thursday, November 23, 2028. Because it follows a weekday rule rather than a fixed date, it can only fall between November 22 and November 28.

How is the Thanksgiving countdown calculated? The countdown takes today's date on your device and counts the calendar days until the fourth Thursday of November. Today is not counted and Thanksgiving Day is, so on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving it shows 1 day. Once Thanksgiving is over it switches to next year's date. The hours, minutes and seconds count down to midnight at the start of Thanksgiving Day in your time zone.

How many weekends are left before Thanksgiving? The countdown shows how many weekend days (Saturdays and Sundays) are left before Thanksgiving. Divide by two for the number of full weekends. Weekends are the best time for the big jobs, such as deep cleaning, a grocery run for non-perishables and making freezer-friendly sides.

When should I start planning Thanksgiving dinner? About four weeks out. A month before, set the guest list and budget; three weeks out, plan the menu and order a fresh turkey if you want one; two weeks out, shop for drinks and pantry items; in the last week, buy fresh produce, thaw the turkey and prep make-ahead dishes. The day-by-day plan on this page follows that order.

When should I start thawing a frozen turkey? Allow about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds, says the USDA. A 16-pound turkey needs about 4 days, so it should go in the fridge by Sunday for a Thursday dinner. A 20-pound turkey needs about 5 days, which means Saturday. Thawing in cold water is faster, about 30 minutes per pound, but you must change the water every 30 minutes.

How big a turkey do I need? The USDA suggests about 1 pound of whole turkey per person, which allows for the bones. Go up to 1.5 pounds per person if you want leftovers. For 8 people that means an 8- to 12-pound bird, and for 12 people about 12 to 18 pounds. A boneless turkey breast needs only about half a pound per person.

Is Thanksgiving a federal holiday? Yes. Thanksgiving Day is one of the 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103, so federal offices, the post office and most banks are closed. The Friday after Thanksgiving is not a federal holiday, but many schools and employers give it off.

How many days are there between Thanksgiving and Christmas? It depends on the year, because Thanksgiving moves and Christmas does not. In 2026 there are 29 days from Thanksgiving (November 26) to Christmas (December 25). In 2027 there are 30 days, and in 2028, when Thanksgiving falls on November 23, there are 32 days.

Can I put this countdown on my phone or share it? Yes. Bookmark the page or add it to your home screen, and it will show the right number every time you open it. The Copy countdown button copies a short line, such as "Thanksgiving is in 30 days", with a link you can paste into a family group chat.

✦ Free printable

Host without the scramble: get the free Thanksgiving checklist

A printable week-by-week Thanksgiving countdown, from the guest list and menu to the day-of timeline. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.

Email address Get the free checklist

We'll start with a short welcome series, then the weekly email, plus new printables and the occasional sale. Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell your email. Privacy policy.