Even though Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is celebrated by everyone around the world, there is one thing that brings people together to celebrate it worldwide. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is one of the world’s most well-known worldwide parades. It appeals to both the young and the old. Three and a half million people around the world go to New York City, or fifty million people turn on the television, to watch the parade every year (“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade History”). This parade has taken place every year since 1924 and is sponsored by Macy’s department store (Brown). There have been many traditions, advancements, and changes in the past ninety years. An abundance of thought and planning goes into making …show more content…
Felix the Cat was the first giant balloon to take part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927 (“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade History”). Other balloons include Pikachu, the Pillsbury Doughboy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Spider-Man, and Mickey Mouse (“Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons”). Onlookers will also be able to enjoy live performances. High school and college marching bands and cheer teams provide music and cheer routines that are very enjoyable to watch. The Harlem Globetrotters and Radio City Rockettes are local New York City groups that everyone enjoys to watch worldwide. Celebrities such as Nick Jonas, KISS, Meghan Trainor, and Idina Menzel sang some of their hit songs at this year’s parade. Looking at the parade from another point of view, there are many obvious advancements and changes that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has gone through. The parade began on Christmas day, 1924 (“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade History”). Since then, multiple things have changed within the parade. In 1932, the first national radio broadcast of the parade took place. Those fortunate enough to watch the parade on television could do so starting in …show more content…
Animals used to be in the parade, but were replaced by balloons in the form of animals because the live animals, such as lions, tigers, and bears, would scare children ("Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Information”). Floats were pulled by horses until 1939 (“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day History”). The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is rich in history. Much thought goes in to this huge celebration to make it perfect. There are traditions in this parade unlike any other traditions, focusing solely on service and giving thanks. There have, also, been many changes and advancements in this parade. Balloons, live performances, and different routes have been added to the parade throughout the years. The Macy’s parade takes place in New York City, one of the largest cities in the world. This brings attention to the parade in countries that do not even celebrate Thanksgiving. People worldwide look forward every year to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and all of its surprises. Works Cited Anonymous. “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” American History. 01 Feb. 2014: 74. eLibrary. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. “Baylor University Living Stories Thanksgiving.” Baylor University Living