Articles about dates and holidays

The history, meaning and practical side of the dates on the calendar in the United States.

Holidays

• Holidays Thanksgiving in the U.S.: Why It's the Fourth Thursday, What's Open and the Real Story of 1621 Thanksgiving is a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Here's when the next one is, why Roosevelt changed the date, what's open, and what really happened at the 1621 harvest feast in Plymouth.
• Holidays Christmas in the U.S.: Federal Holiday Rules, What's Open and Where the Traditions Come From Christmas Day is a federal holiday; Christmas Eve usually isn't. Here's when the next Christmas falls, how the weekend rule works, what's open, and how Santa and NORAD's Santa tracker became American traditions.

Practical guides

• Practical guides Black Friday in the U.S.: When It Is, Where the Name Came From and How to Shop Smart Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving and kicks off a five-day stretch that ends on Cyber Monday. Here's when the next one is, who gets the day off, where the name really came from, and what protects you as a shopper.