answer:The origins of Thanksgiving may be cloudy, but the current meaning and traditions are well worth what they are. Thanksgiving is essentially a reflection of gratitude and joining together in peace to reflect on our blessings for the past year. Before it became a federal holiday, Presidents often declared days of Thanksgiving, such as Lincoln did during the Civil War. The article linked is not complete: the first Thanksgving really was in 1621, not 1637 as cited. Yes, much of he connection to the Pilgrims was embellished after World War 1, but remember that was part of the 1620 tricentennial celebration, with a lot of publicity about the Pilgrims and The First Thanksgiving. Much of New England from 1920 to 1940 had tricentennial celebrations, and there was much coverage in the eastern press and national magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post. Anyway, nothing wrong with giving thanks and gathering family together.