When is Thanksgiving 2024? What date it is - and why it's always on a Thursday.

Once the Halloween season has past, some people are ready to fast forward to December and embrace the winter holidays and festive spirit ? just ask Mariah Carey.

But between October and December, there is another holiday that brings friends and family together. Thanksgiving's origins may not be as accurate as the tales that appear in children's stories or high school textbooks, but many see the day as an opportunity to enjoy the company of loved ones and show gratitude.

Through the years, the holiday has become synonymous with football games, good food and, of course, the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here's when Thanksgiving falls this year.

When is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving this year is Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024.

On what day does Thanksgiving fall?

The holiday falls on the fourth Thursday in November every year.

How the bird escaped a 'fowl' fate: Who was the first president to pardon a turkey?

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving did not become a national holiday until 1863, though the "first celebration" is said to have taken place in 1621, the History Channel reports. The story, historically told from the white pilgrim's perspective, is that colonists shared a meal with the indigenous Wampanoag people to give thanks for a successful fall harvest.

This lore, however, is not completely accurate. Most accounts of the event's significance are often overstated, USA TODAY journalist Eryn Dion noted in her reporting.

Members of the Wampanoag were not formally invited as a gesture of good grace. Instead, the pilgrims became rowdy at their feast and began shooting into the air. Fearing violence, Wampanoag warriors came to identify the commotion ? prepared for war if need be ? but saw it was a celebration and eventually joined in.

The holiday was recognized nationally in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln designated the final Thursday of November to be "Thanksgiving," the History Channel reports. It was observed on that day until 1939 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt solidified it as the fourth Thursday, hoping to increase retail sales during the Great Depression.

This sentiment has continued throughout the decades as holiday shopping and spending flourishes around Thanksgiving and thereafter.

Why is it called Black Friday? It wasn't always the biggest shopping holiday of the year.

Just Curious for more?

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How many federal holidays are there?" to "What's the cheapest day to book a flight?" to "What is the healthiest Thanksgiving side dish?"? we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is Thanksgiving 2024? What date the holiday falls on this year.