Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that hasn't gone 'commercial' but still holds it true meaning... a day to give thanks. Look around, most people aren't skipping it, but keeping it closer to it's true meaning.
Other than Christmas, it's the only holiday that the country pretty much closes down for. It wasn't until the late 1990s that K-mart dared to break tradition and open it's doors for a few hours. Even with that, most retail companies have held ground and still remain closed.
It may kick off of the 'holiday season', but it also the first day of the year that most people start thinking of someone else besides themselves. Food pantries for the poor get most of their donations during this time. It's the one day a year that almost any one in our county has a good chance to have a hot meal.
In our busy times, where families seldom have time to set down and have a meal together, this is the one day... people will travel for hours to get together for one meal.
Thanksgiving isn't being skipped over, it just isn't being commercialized at much. Other than Butterball... who has saved many a new housewife's rear on Thanksgiving morning with the bird. ;-)
Look at the 4th of July, which is our most patriotic holiday. Talk about a day that is more commercial than anything else. Stick up a few flags, have a BBQ, drink a few beers, and shoot off some fireworks.
Can you honestly tell me when Memorial Day is? Most can't. It like the Independence day, has become a BBQ day also. How do many people know what day it's going to fall on.. the look to the Indy 500.
As far as holidays go, Thanksgiving we know it... it's one of the newer ones.
The first feast, was a one time affair, not meant to become an annual holiday.
The holiday was bounced around for a almost 150 years until, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it as a national holiday. It wasn't until 1941 when it became the holiday we know, that now falls on the fourth Thursday of the month.
I took a couple of minutes to find this for you, from 1782.
IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the important conflict in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy and promising state of public affairs; and the events of the war, in the course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the public Councils, which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them and their Allies, notwithstanding the artful and unwearied attempts of the common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States, and those of their Allies, and the acknowledgment of their independence by another European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting advantage to these States:----- Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.