Thanksgiving is a relatively modern holiday that has grown and developed rather than an ancient holiday that has lost its meaning. Dating back to sporadic celebrations for a few hundred years, it became a regular holiday only in 1863.

The general theme is the celebration of the harvest and plentiful food, along with the settlement of America by Europeans. For this reason some Native Americans consider the day a day of mourning. However, for the most part the early friendship with the Native Americans is recognized in the holiday. The harvest and food has developed into a particular menu of New World items including turkey, sweet corn, cranberries, and pumpkin pie.

So I would say it is a developing holiday, not one that has lost meaning.
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It's original meaning? What exactly is that?

Taking food from Native Americans we would eventually destroy and murder with a genocide?

Sure, it no longer means that!

Now it's just a nice time for families to get together and eat a feast of food.
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Most people in this country can't honestly trace their roots back to the people who participated in the first Thanksgiving, and I think for the last several generations, we've only had a vague sense of what those people were going through anyway. To some extent, yes, we still recognize that Thanksgiving is about the sacrifice, sharing, and obligation that was espoused (or should have been) on that occasion. But for the most part, harvest, pilgrimage, and the sacrifice made by one culture to help another has been lost. Most of us simply can't relate.

I do agree that we have given Thanksgiving a new, and valid meaning though: it's about family, coming together, making time for each other, and sharing comfort food with each other at home. It's one of the only holidays that really speaks to hearth and family. It's also one of the very few holidays that hasn't been completely taken over by commercialism. Aside from maybe bringing a bottle of wine or food to share, we do not exchange gifts (pretty amazing for our USA, I would say!). For that, I think it's valid.

I also think that with the recession, and so many people going without, it's going to start representing giving to strangers. Many people already volunteer at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving, and I think that will only increase. People want to help others feel comfort, compassion, and warmth on the day.

That's just as good of a tradition, in my opinion.
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Oh yes, I think it's lost it's meaning entirely.

Let's Remember The Original Meaning of Thanksgiving:
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The first Thanksgiving dinner in 1621 was a dinner shared between 53 Plymouth colonists and about 90 Wampanoag Indians. It was a celebration of the harvest, during which social order was reinforced. You know how we pass the cranberries and rolls? Didn't used to be the case: Whatever dishes were set on the table near you was what you ate, and the best dishes were set by the most important people.

The dinner was a very religious one for the Pilgrims, who above all wanted to thank god for their bounty.

And the celebrations actually lasted beyond one dinner. The Pilgrims entertained the Wampanoag group for THREE DAYS as a gesture of gratitude for helping them survive the first year in the new land.

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/images/WebBrownscombe.jpg

And Now Let's Consider How that
Compares to the Modern Meaning of Thanksgiving:
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We live in a land of abundance and riches now, and every year we sit down to overeat, stuffing ourselves excessively on rich foods that are very different from what was served in 1621. Our eating habits and lifestyle would probably sicken the Pilgrims in its excess. We are not celebrating a season of hard work or preparedness, as they did back then. We are celebrating....well....that there will be kick-ass shopping sales the next day. And something about a parade and a football game. Some of us remember to toast what we're grateful for, but rarely do those thoughts mirror the gratitude of the Indians in any way.

In many households, god and Christianity has been completely removed from the holiday, and traditionally Thanksgiving is not considered a religious holiday.

Instead of celebrating others outside our family who have helped us during our year, we tend to be exclusive of others and dine with our own families instead. In fact, this holiday has taken on the tradition of being "family-oriented" which is puzzling since the original 3-day feast had little, if anything, to do with family togetherness (other than to cheer "We're alive!").
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So yes, I'd say we've lost the majority of the meaning of Thanksgiving. But since many would debate the value and fairness of the original celebration (what with the Pilgrims' treatment of the Indians and whatnot), I say we let this holiday keep on evolving.
Source(s):
http://www.history.com/content/thanksgiving
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/1stthnks.htm
http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm

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Thanksgiving has definately lost its original meaning! i didnt even know what it was until my mum told me about it last summer. Its all about celebrating our devotion to God. The Pilgrims recognized that everything we have is a gift from God – even our sorrows. Their Thanksgiving tradition was established to honor God and thank Him for His blessings and His grace. Now, even non-christians celebrate thankgiving, half of the dont even know what it is for!
Most people concentrate only on food and football, rather than the spiritual fredom and God's procision. I think that's bad and if you are not a christian, you should not celebrate thanksgiving.
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I think it is harder with families spread out over the country and even the world. We are not as close as we were in the middle of last century. But to have lost it's meaning means we are no longer thankful for the families we have and the jobs we have done leading up to that moment.
So technically I do not believe we have lost the true meaning. the true meaning is to be thankful for what we have endured.
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Yes, the democrats have ruined thanksgiving because they gave away all the money, now every body is hungry and homeless!
Source(s):
Obama

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The first thankgiving is to thank indians who helped these prisoners from uk,but the prisoners have almost killed all indians in usa,I can't understand why american still celebrate this feveral.It is so interesting!
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf3/massacre.htm

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No. It originated from the idea of giving thanks. And still today, it's centered around that same idea. Activities with young children are a good example, they're often asked to write down things that they are thankful for. It's about appreciating what you have.
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