In the US, Thanksgiving 2012 will be celebrated on 22 November. Traditionally the festival always happens on the last Thursday in November, and it is a public holiday throughout the country. In fact for many Americans it is the most important holiday of the year. It is usual to try and get the following day off - 23 November this year - in order to have a long weekend with your friends and family. Many schools and other institutions also close on the Wednesday (21 Nov) so that everyone will have time to travel home and spend the day together.
Thanksgiving is also celebrated in some other countries, including Canada. It is held on the second Monday in October, so this year it was on 8 October. While less celebrated than the US holiday, it is still an important time for many Canadians, who often take advantage of the three day weekend to spend more time for their families or take a short trip.