History of
the Thanksgiving parade
Thousands of
people line the streets of midtown Manhattan every year to catch a glimpse of
the balloons and performers marching in the Macy'sThanksgiving Day
Parade. Millions more will tune in to watch it on television. The Macy's parade
is intertwined with Thanksgiving, making it as much a part of the
holiday as turkey and pumpkin pie.
The parade has
evolved throughout the years, and the history of the parade is both interesting
and informational.
Historians
believe the parade was instituted by European immigrants who made up the
majority of employees at the retail giant Macy's. In the 1920s, employees who
were now proud Americans wanted to celebrate with traditions that were similar
to traditions in Europe. This included a parade down the streets. Animals were
borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, bands played and marchers wore different
costumes.
In 1927,
concern for children lining the parade route led parade officials to replace
live animals with the signature helium balloons people now know and love. A
dragon and Felix the Cat were some of the first balloons. The festivities
continued to grow during the 1930s, when Santa was added to the parade's
growing list of participants. 1933 was the only year that Santa led the parade
rather than closed it.
During
World War II, the parade was put on hiatus, as the rubber for the balloons and
the helium was donated to the war effort. The parade resumed in 1945 and was
televised only in New York. The 1947 film "Miracle on 34th Street"
made the parade even more popular. NBC televised the parade nationwide the
following year, drawing viewers from all over the country. TF12B680
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