This year’s Thanksgiving is the latest it can be (November 28). The date of Thanksgiving is determined by federal law, which mandates that it be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. This was established in 1941 to ensure a consistent holiday date and to avoid conflicts with the end of the month, which could shorten the holiday shopping season. Thanksgiving can fall as early as November 22, which happens when November starts on a Thursday. The last time this occurred was in 2018, and it will happen again in 2029.