How many days until Thanksgiving?
US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November, so its date moves between November 22 and November 28.
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days until Thanksgiving
- Weeks
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- Sleeps
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- Weekdays left
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- Weekend days
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When to start thawing the turkey
Enter the weight of your frozen turkey.
Based on USDA guidance: about one day in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds. We count 4 pounds a day so you aren't caught short.
Turkey thawing times for Thanksgiving 2026
These are the answers the thaw planner above gives for Thursday, November 26, 2026. The fridge day is the day the frozen bird goes from the freezer into the fridge; the cold water time is the backup if you missed it.
| Turkey weight | Days in the fridge | Move it to the fridge on | Cold water instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | 3 | Monday, November 23 | about 5 hours |
| 12 lb | 3 | Monday, November 23 | about 6 hours |
| 16 lb | 4 | Sunday, November 22 | about 8 hours |
| 20 lb | 5 | Saturday, November 21 | about 10 hours |
| 24 lb | 6 | Friday, November 20 | about 12 hours |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 3 | Monday, November 23 | about 6 hours |
| 7 kg (15.4 lb) | 4 | Sunday, November 22 | about 8 hours |
How a row is worked out: a 20-pound turkey at 4 pounds a day needs 5 days, and 5 days before Thursday is Saturday. In cold water it needs 30 minutes a pound, so 20 × 30 minutes = 10 hours, changing the water every half hour. Weights in kilograms are turned into pounds first (1 kg is about 2.2 lb), and part of a day always rounds up to a whole one. The USDA advises against thawing a turkey on the kitchen counter, because the outside warms into the danger zone while the middle is still frozen. A thawed turkey keeps in the fridge for one or two days, so starting a day early is safe. The Add the thaw day to my calendar button saves the fridge day as a calendar reminder.
Thanksgiving dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, November 26, 2026 |
| 2027 | Thursday, November 25, 2027 |
| 2028 | Thursday, November 23, 2028 |
| 2029 | Thursday, November 22, 2029 |
| 2030 | Thursday, November 28, 2030 |
Why the date changes
Since 1942, federal law has set Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November. That is why it can land as early as November 22 or as late as November 28. The Friday after, known as Black Friday, is the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.
Canadian Thanksgiving
Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, about six weeks earlier than the United States. If you are counting down to the Canadian holiday, use the general days-until counter and pick its date.
Planning the meal
A frozen turkey needs about one day in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds to thaw, according to the US Department of Agriculture, so a 16-pound bird should go into the fridge about four days before the holiday.
Worked example
For Thanksgiving 2026, Thursday, November 26, the countdown gives these numbers. Weekdays left is the useful one for working out how many school or office days remain before the long weekend.
| If today is | Days left | Weeks | Weekdays | Weekend days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 1 | 56 | 8 weeks | 39 | 16 |
| Sunday, November 1 | 25 | 3 weeks 4 days | 18 | 6 |
| Friday, November 20 | 6 | 6 days | 3 | 2 |
Common mistakes
Using the last Thursday instead of the fourth. In most years November has four Thursdays, so the two are the same. In years with five they are not: in 2028 the fourth Thursday is November 23 and the last is November 30, and in 2029 it is November 22 against November 29. Thanksgiving is always the fourth.
Starting to thaw the turkey too late. In the fridge a turkey needs about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 20-pound bird needs four to five days. If you are short on time, the USDA cold water method takes about 30 minutes per pound, changing the water every 30 minutes, and the bird must be cooked straight after.
Counting down to the wrong country. Canada holds its Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, so a Canadian countdown on this page would be about six weeks off.
How the countdown works
The count uses your device's date and time zone, so it is right wherever you are. Days left counts calendar days from today to Thanksgiving; on the day itself it shows 0. Weekdays and weekend days count the days in between, not today or Thanksgiving. The live clock runs to midnight at the start of Thanksgiving in your time zone.
Questions
Has Thanksgiving always been the fourth Thursday?
No. From the 1860s it was usually the last Thursday of November, set each year by presidential proclamation. In 1939 President Roosevelt moved it a week earlier to give stores a longer shopping season, and Congress then fixed it to the fourth Thursday in a law that took effect in 1942.
How hot does the turkey need to be?
The USDA says 165°F, checked with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing.
How many days are there from Thanksgiving to Christmas?
It changes each year, because Thanksgiving moves and Christmas does not. In 2026 it is 29 days. The shortest possible gap is 27 days (Thanksgiving on November 28) and the longest is 33 days (November 22).