American Samoa · Paid public holiday

Thanksgiving

The statutory fourth-Thursday holiday adapted through local family and church life. This guide explains the date, background, legal status and customary observance of Thanksgiving in American Samoa.

Date in 2026Thursday, November 26, 2026
Holiday statusPaid public holiday

When is Thanksgiving?

In 2026, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. It is classified here as a paid public holiday.

History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is listed in American Samoa Code §1.0501 on the fourth Thursday in November. The modern United States holiday developed through several colonial, national and presidential traditions and cannot be reduced to a simple harmonious meal story; responsible accounts acknowledge Indigenous peoples and the violence and dispossession that followed European colonisation in North America.

The holiday was imported through American administration rather than arising as an ancient Samoan festival. In American Samoa, families and congregations may adapt the day through prayer, hospitality and foods prepared for an extended aiga. Those practices draw on living Samoan relationships, but observance varies and should not be presented as though all villages, churches or households follow one menu or ritual.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 in 2026 for ASG and federal offices. Territorial law provides the paid holiday to government employees, including additional pay protections for those required to work. It does not automatically guarantee paid leave to every private employee. Health care, utilities, hospitality, transport and retail may operate on their own schedules.

How Thanksgiving is observed

Statutory territorial and federal holiday Thursday, November 26 in 2026; private and essential-service schedules may differ substantially in practice.

Traditions of Thanksgiving

  • Aiga and community

    Aiga may gather for prayer and a shared meal, with dishes reflecting household resources and preferences rather than one fixed menu. Practices differ among families, villages and denominations, so participation should never be treated as uniform.

  • Public life

    Church or government messages may emphasise gratitude and service while thoughtful programmes acknowledge the holiday’s contested mainland history. Samoan language and local protocol may accompany a wider United States or Christian observance.

  • Planning the day

    Confirm shop, transport and workplace hours, and avoid assuming that every family observes a United States holiday in the same way. Hospitals, utilities, transport and other essential services may use rosters or grant another day instead.

Dates and observance rules are checked against the official American Samoa official holiday calendar or legislation. Government, regional, school and employer schedules in American Samoa may differ; check the linked official source and current local notices before making time-sensitive plans.

History sources: American Samoa Code: public holidays, American Samoa Code: paid holidays for government employees, American Samoa Administrative Code: weekend observance, American Samoa Government: general memorandums, American Samoa Government: executive orders, U.S. Office of Personnel Management: federal holidays, U.S. Department of the Interior: American Samoa, U.S. Department of the Interior: acquisition process, National Park Service: Samoan people and culture, National Park Service: American Samoa in World War II, UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage lists.

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