Celebrations Holidays & Occasions Fall Holidays

Holidays and Observances in November

National days to celebrate during the month

By
Carol Bainbridge
Carol Bainbridge

Carol Bainbridge is a writer covering lifestyle and holiday observances for The Spruce. She's currently an adjunct professor at IU Northwest.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 10/17/22
Fact checked by
Sarah Scott
SS
Fact checked by Sarah Scott
Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
November Calendar decor

The Spruce / Margot Cavin

In This Article

November is best known for Thanksgiving and Veterans Day, but it's packed with an abundance of special days of awareness and observances to celebrate. Two Christian holidays, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, fall within early November, and the Advent calendar begins at the end of the month to countdown until Christmas, as well. Daylight savings time ends in November, though the date varies.

Here's a list of all the official and unofficial celebrations for the month of November.

November Daily Holidays and Observances

  • November 1: National Authors Day, World Vegan Day
  • November 2: U.S. General Election Day* (first Tuesday after first Monday), Cookie Monster Day, International Stress Awareness Day* (first Wednesday), Plan Your Epitaph Day, Deviled Egg Day, National Healthy Eating Day* (first Wednesday)
  • November 3: Cliché Day, National Sandwich Day, National Men Make Dinner Day* (first Thursday)
  • November 4: King Tut Day, Use Your Common Sense Day, National Candy Day
  • November 5: American Football Day, National Redhead Day, Book Lovers Day* (first Saturday)
  • November 6: National Saxophone Day, National Nachos Day
  • November 7: International Merlot Day, National Cancer Awareness Day
  • November 8: National Parents as Teachers Day, National STEM/STEAM Day, Dunce Day, Cook Something Bold Day, International Tongue Twister Day, National Cappuccino Day, Young Readers Day* (second Tuesday)
  • November 9: World Freedom Day, World Adoption Day, Go to an Art Museum Day
  • November 10: U.S. Marine Corps Birthday, Sesame Street Day, National Forget-Me-Not Day, National Vanilla Cupcake Day, International Accounting Day, World Science Day for Peace and Development
  • November 11: World Origami Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, National Sundae Day
  • November 12: Chicken Soup for the Soul Day, World Pneumonia Day
  • November 13: Sadie Hawkins Day, World Kindness Day
  • November 14: Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day, National American Teddy Bear Day, World Diabetes Day, National Spicy Guacamole Day, National Pickle Day
  • November 15: I Love to Write Day, National Philanthropy Day, America Recycles Day, National Clean Out Your Fridge Day, National Drummer Day
  • November 16: International Day for Tolerance, National Button Day, Have a Party With Your Bear Day, National Fast Food Day
  • November 17: Homemade Bread Day, National Take a Hike Day, World Prematurity Day, Use Less Stuff Day* (Thursday before Thanksgiving), Great American Smokeout* (third Thursday)
  • November 18: Occult Day, National Apple Cider Day, International Stand Up to Bullying Day
  • November 19: Equal Opportunity Day, National Have a Bad Day Day, National Camp Day, National Adoption Day* (Saturday before Thanksgiving), Family Volunteer Day* (Saturday before Thanksgiving)
  • November 20: National Absurdity Day, Universal Children's Day, Beautiful Day , Future Teachers of America Day
  • November 21: World Hello Day, False Confession Day, Pumpkin Pie Day
  • November 22: Start Your Own Country Day, Go For a Ride Day, National Stop the Violence Day
  • November 23: Fibonacci Day, National Cashew Day, Eat a Cranberry Day, National Espresso Day, What Do You Love About America Day* (day before Thanksgiving)
  • November 24: Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day, Evolution Day, Thanksgiving Day* (fourth Thursday)
  • November 25: National Parfait Day, Black Friday* (day after Thanksgiving), Buy Nothing Day (day after Thanksgiving), You're Welcome Day* (day after Thanksgiving), Native American Heritage Day* (day after Thanksgiving)
  • November 26: Small Business Saturday* (Saturday after Thanksgiving), National Cake Day
  • November 27: National Electric Guitar Day, Pie in the Face Day, Small Brewery Sunday* (Sunday after Thanksgiving)
  • November 28: Red Planet Day, National French Toast Day, Cyber Monday* (Monday after Thanksgiving)
  • November 29: National Square Dance Day, Giving Tuesday* (Tuesday after Thanksgiving)
  • November 30: Stay At Home Because You Are Well Day, National Mason Jar Day, Perpetual Youth Day

Why Do We Vote in November?

Voting on a Tuesday in November isn't as arbitrary as it seems. The month marks the end of harvest, and it offers mild weather for traveling voters. In 1845, Congress passed a law mandating that the presidential Election Day would be held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the month.

November Weekly Holidays and Observances

  • National Children's Book Week (second week)
  • Global Entrepreneurship Week* (14-20, varies)
  • National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week* (13-21, varies)
  • National Young Readers Week (second week)
  • World Kindness Week (second week)
  • World Communications Week (first week)
  • Geography Awareness Week (third week)
  • American Education Week* (13-19, week before Thanksgiving)
  • World Antibiotic Awareness Week* (18-24, varies)
  • National Family Week (week containing Thanksgiving)
  • National Game and Puzzle Week (week containing Thanksgiving)

November Monthly Holidays and Observances

  • Aviation History Month
  • Child Safety and Protection Month
  • Family Stories Month
  • Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
  • International Drum/Percussion Month
  • Lung Cancer Awareness Month
  • Manatee Awareness Month
  • National Adopt a Senior Pet Month
  • National Adoption Awareness Month
  • National Candle Month
  • National Diabetes Awareness Month
  • National Epilepsy Awareness Month
  • National Family Caregivers Appreciation Month
  • National Healthy Skin Month
  • National Home Care and Hospice Month
  • National Inspirational Role Models Month
  • National Model Railroad Month
  • National Native American Heritage Month
  • National Novel Writing Month
  • National Scholarship Month
  • National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
  • Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
  • Peanut Butter Lovers Month
  • Picture Book Month
  • Spinach & Squash Month
  • Sweet Potato Awareness Month
  • U.S. Beard Month (also known as No-Shave November)
  • Veterans and Military Family Month
  • Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month

*Denotes that date changes each year.

FAQ
  • Why do we celebrate Veterans Day on November 11?

    Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 because it was on this day at 11:00 a.m. in 1918 that World War I ended.

  • Why is Thanksgiving celebrated on the last Thursday in November?

    In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in the month of November to be the national holiday known as Thanksgiving. It is fashioned after the three-day feast of the harvest shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indigenous people in 1621.

  • Why is it called November?

    November got its name from the Roman word "novem," which means nine. Originally there were only ten months in the year until the months of January and February were added in 45 B.C., making November the eleventh month, rather than the ninth month.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Election Day: Frequently Asked Questions. Congressional Research Service.