Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia, which is observed on various days. It started out as a day dedicated to expressing gratitude for the blessings of the harvest of the preceding year. In Germany and Japan, there are holidays with similar names. Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada, as well as during the same time of year in other countries. Despite having historical roots in religious and cultural customs, Thanksgiving has also long been observed as a secular holiday.