Thankful- Revised By Lexie Aebi

Thankful

The downtown streets of New York City are lined with people on Thanksgiving morning. Crowds bustle around trying to find the perfect spot to view the spectacle. The young ones sit on the curb with a cup of hot cocoa, while the adults sip on a cup of coffee from the Starbucks around the corner. Everyone is anxiously waiting for the same thing. With every gust of icy wind, the crowd bunches together while staring toward the sky in anticipation.
Finally, the marching band starts to play. The drummers drum and the tubas blare. Around the top of a skyscraper, one can see the tip of the first balloon coming around the corner. Just like that, Manhattan is transformed into a world of streamers, cartoons, music, candy and dancing characters.
For the past 80 years, people from all over the country have gathered in New York City to celebrate Thanksgiving and the coming of Christmas with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year the floats, balloons, dancers, musicians, and animals march through the downtown area sending a welcome invitation to the Christmas season.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade first took place in 1924. It was created by the Macy’s department store employees. Many of the employees who worked at the store were immigrants. According to www.nyctourist.com, the employees were “proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the American holiday with the type of festival they loved in Europe.”
The success of the parade was undeniable. Macy’s announced that the parade would become an annual event. Every year the parade became even larger and more impressive than the year before.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade of 1927 was quite a memorable event. According to Macys.com, “The 1927 Parade included helium-filled balloons for the first time. They were released above the city during the grand finale, but unexpectedly burst above Manhattan’s skyline.” The balloons were redesigned for the following years with release valves and return address labels in case a balloon escaped.
There was a short period of time, however, when the Macy’s parade did not take place. This period was from 1942-1944 because of World War II. Macy’s donated the balloon rubber and the helium to the war efforts. DJ Lindstrom, a Thanksgiving enthusiast who is 80 years old, could remember the Thanksgivings when the parade did not take place. “Thanksgivings during the war were very different. Anything we had in excess went to the war efforts.”
However, in 1945, the parade came back bigger and stronger than ever. In 1946 the parade was televised on local channels. In 1947 it was broadcast nationally, enabling people at home to watch the parade, as well. The parade drew in a record-breaking number of live spectators at about two million people.
Although there have been a few rocky patches along the way, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has survived the test of time. The parade has marched though wind, rain and snow. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become a tradition to the American people. Families all across the country tune in on Thanksgiving morning to see what new floats have joined the parade and to spot their old favorites. Lindstrom, an Ohio resident, recalls, “I remember the first year that Garfield was in the parade. Now I look for him every year. And of course, I always watch for Santa Claus at the end.”
Throughout the years, the parade has changed in many ways. New floats have been constructed and old floats have been retired. The music has changed and the hosts are different, but the sentiment remains the same. The parade still has the ability to excite a feeling in the audience of inspiration and awe. Audrey Stevenson, a Texas State University student, said, “I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year. My mom usually has it on while she is getting the cooking started. I have never seen it in person but I would love to go someday.”
According to Macys.com, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brings more than three million people to the Manhattan streets, and another 44 million people watch on television. Kate Aconfora, New York City resident, said, “You can tell when it is getting close to the Thanksgiving. The whole place becomes absolutely packed with people. The parade is an unforgettable experience. Everyone wants to see it at least once.”
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become part of an American tradition. The tradition began with a group of immigrants who wanted to embrace the Thanksgiving holiday and it continues to this day. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade reminds each one of us what we have to be thankful for, and how far we have come as a nation to get to where we are today. It’s a simple concept that allows for people from all walks of life to join together to celebrate.