LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It's almost time to set the table and gather with loved ones for Thanksgiving.
Many people across the U.S. eagerly anticipate this time of year to give thanks for all the things they are grateful for and to eat a delicious meal with those they hold close.
Unlike other holidays, such as Dec. 25 for Christmas or Oct. 31 for Halloween, Thanksgiving is not a fixed date but rather a consistent day.
Thanksgiving has been federally recognized as the fourth Thursday in November since the 40s.
It is believed that America’s first Thanksgiving, a harvest feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, occurred in the fall of 1621.
While this feast had more to do with a political alliance and borrowed traditions Pilgrims brought from home than a celebration of food and thanks, according to the Smithsonian.
However, it did start a tradition among the settlers that continued for years to come.
According to the U.S. National Archives, in 1789 President George Washington decreed Thursday, November 26, as a day of public thanksgiving.
After this, however, the holiday would informally be celebrated on many different days and even months through the years.
In Oct. 1863 President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving to be on the last Thursday of November.
At this time, because Thanksgiving was still not a fixed day, the president could choose any date as a day of thanks. Most following presidents did keep Lincoln's original date.
However there were some years it was celebrated in other months, like in April 1815 and in February 1795.
This system did cause controversy in years to come.
During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, the last Thursday in November fell on the last day of the month twice, in 1933 and 1939, a blog post from the U.S. National Archives said.
Large businesses, worried about the shortened Christmas shopping season, lobbied the government to move Thanksgiving up a week.
Roosevelt stuck with precedence in 1933 and in 1939 he was swayed enough to move the holiday to the second to last Thursday of November.
Some states celebrated on same day as the president while other states refused to accept the change and continued to celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November. Some states even decided to observe the holiday on both days.
This kept up for two years, according to the U.S. National Archives.
Eventually, to end confusion, Congress set a fixed date for Thanksgiving.
In Oct. 1941 the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November as the federally recognized Thanksgiving Day.
The Senate amended the resolution making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November, taking into account previous years when November has five Thursdays.
The House agreed and Roosevelt signed the resolution in Dec. 1941.
Ever since, Presidents have continued to make annual Proclamations declaring the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving.
So if you feel like you are waiting to long to dig in with your family remember there was a time when the day was a lot for confusing than it is now.
