The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a rite of season that has happened annually since it began in 1924. Every year, a parade is held in Manhattan that celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday and the fact that Christmas is quickly approaching. More than 2.5 million people line the streets of Manhattan and another 44 million people tune in to watch the extravaganza on NBC. This festive event includes, balloons, floats, celebrities, bands and clowns in what many people may consider to be the most spectacular celebration in the world. There has only been one interruption in the parade’s storied history from 1942-1944, Macy’s actually donated their balloons to the war effort, as their rubber was a rare and much-needed resource. When the parade resumed in 1945, it was bigger and better than ever, it was televised for the first time and this is the year that they began the parade route that is still used today.
Macy’s parade is probably most recognized for their huge helium-filled balloons of different cartoon and comic book characters. The first balloon in the parade’s history was Mickey Mouse in 1934. The 1950s and 1960s saw some of the most popular balloons of all time be introduced, including; Superman, Kermit the Frog, and Snoopy. Personally, as a child, I can remember being so excited to wake up on Thanksgiving morning, smelling all of the great food that my mother was preparing and watching the Macy’s parade with my family before the football games came on. I also knew that this meant that Christmas was right around the corner and that it was time to start making up for being a bad kid all year so that Santa Claus would not forget about me. This parade is really the ultimate pop icon for the holiday season, kicking off what many people consider to be, the most wonderful time of the year.
References
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade website. History section. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from http://www.macys.com/campaign/parade/parade.jsp
1 comment:
I never would have thought about posting about the parade. I remember watching it a few times. My brother always enjoyed looking at the different balloons that were in the parade. I enjoyed reading the history about it. I didn't realize that it had been around that long.
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