Thanksgiving Day is the official name for a holiday observed in the United States and Canada. It is a day to show gratitude, either for material possessions or immaterial goodness, such as family or health. It is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. In Canada, which adopted the holiday in 1879, it is the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving is the shortened version of the official holiday name.
A thanksgiving is the act of showing gratitude, whether in a prayer to a divine being or a public display of acknowledgement and appreciation.
So, one could have a thanksgiving dinner anytime, but if you are having a Thanksgiving dinner, it will be only once a year.
Examples
What’s really important about Thanksgiving Day is the chance it provides to spend time with family and friends, whether that means around the dinner table at home or at one of the many restaurants serving the holiday dinner in their dining rooms. [The Detroit News]
Since then, every Thanksgiving Day, Canadians have taken the chance to give thanks for everything from the end of the Lower Canada Rebellion to King Edward VII’s recovery from a serious illness. [CTV News]
Angelenos will face the worst traffic in the country on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, with trips in the region projected to take 36% longer than average, a new report finds. [LA Times]
The welcome dinner was a renewal of ties, a toast to friendship, a show of thanksgiving, and a warm video-recorded invitation to His Excellency Gilles Garachon which I botched up and had to do a retake. [Sun Star]