National Cranberry Relish Day, observed each year on November 22, highlights a classic holiday side made from fresh cranberries, citrus, and sugar. The day draws attention to a dish that has long held a place on American Thanksgiving tables because it adds brightness to heavier foods and pairs well with turkey, stuffing, and other seasonal dishes.
Cranberry relish became popular in the early 20th century as home cooks looked for simple, fresh alternatives to cooked cranberry sauce. Although the exact origin of the observance is unclear, food-focused days like this one often emerged through magazines, recipe columns, and regional traditions that later spread nationwide.
When is National Cranberry Relish Day Celebrated?
National Cranberry Relish Day, observed on November 22, arrives just as people plan their Thanksgiving menus. The day draws attention to a dish that brings fresh, tart flavor to traditional holiday plates and naturally connects with other seasonal food observances like National Stuffing Day or National Pumpkin Day. Here’s when the day will occur in the coming years.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | November 22, Saturday |
| 2026 | November 22, Sunday |
| 2027 | November 22, Monday |
| 2028 | November 22, Wednesday |
| 2029 | November 22, Thursday |
| 2030 | November 22, Friday |
Facts About Cranberries and Cranberry Relish
Cranberries shape many American holiday meals, and their story goes far beyond the relish bowl.
- The fruit grows in specialized bogs found mostly in the northern United States, where acidic soil and a cool climate create ideal conditions. Growers use a wet-harvest method, flooding the bogs so ripe berries float to the surface and can be collected efficiently—a technique developed to meet rising demand in the early 1900s.
- Indigenous peoples used cranberries long before modern recipes existed. They mixed the berries with dried meat and fat to make pemmican, relied on them as a natural dye, and used them in remedies for various ailments.
- The United States produces most of the world’s cranberries, with Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington leading production. Fresh berries appear in stores from September through December, which explains their strong link to Thanksgiving and other fall celebrations.
- Cranberry relish gained popularity as households looked for fresh, uncooked ways to serve the fruit. The combination of chopped cranberries, citrus, and sugar became common in mid-century American kitchens, where cooks appreciated its bright flavor alongside turkey and stuffing. Cranberries also grew more visible in everyday life through products like cranberry juice and dried cranberries, which expanded the fruit’s role beyond holiday meals.
