"As in the metropolis?": In Ukraine proposed to introduce a new holiday - Thanksgiving Day

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a draft law on the introduction of a new public holiday – Thanksgiving Day. The initiative proposed by MP Heorhiy Mazurashu envisages an official celebration, however, according to the draft, this day will not be a day off for citizens.

According to the portal of the Verkhovna Rada, the draft law No. 14121 was introduced to Parliament on October 13, 2025. The document proposes to amend Article 73 of the Labor Code of Ukraine to regulate the celebration of Thanksgiving Day without providing an additional day of rest.

According to the author’s idea, the introduction of the holiday is intended to emphasize the importance of gratitude in society. Citizens will be able to celebrate it officially, but it will not affect the production calendar. The bill refers to the sphere of social policy.

At the moment, the document is submitted to the leadership of the Parliament for consideration. Its further fate will depend on the discussion in the specialized committees and subsequent voting in the session hall.

Reference: Thanksgiving Day is a North American holiday, celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. This holiday has its roots deep in American history, to the very first settlers from England, who arrived to the shores of America in 1620 on the ship “Mayflower”. After gaining independence and the emergence of a united state of the United States, the first president of the country J. Washington proposed to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday every year on November 26. In 1864, at the end of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November of each year as Thanksgiving Day.