Thanksgiving in New York

As I sit here watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning, I think of my bucket list. Yes, I am insane enough to want to someday go to that parade. Today looks like a beautiful day in New York City. The participants are wearing coats, hats, and gloves, staying warm. Even though they’re outside, many of them wear masks to keep the Covid numbers down. People are laughing and enjoying themselves. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that fun energy? That’s what I like: fun.

So it ticks all the boxes: fun energy, festive environment, in the most energetic city in the USA.

After going public in 1922, R. H. Macy & Co. began opening stores around the country. Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square did so great that it expanded in 1924 to cover an entire city block stretching from Broadway to Seventh Avenue along 34th Street. They were now the “World’s Largest Store” and wanted people to know about it. So they did what anyone trying to get the word out does; they threw New York their first party—choosing Thanksgiving morning as the best time to have it. At 9 a.m. on November 27, 1924, they celebrated with a nursery-rhyme-themed parade, which matched their display windows. Their floats featured Mother Goose’s favorites:

·         Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

·         Little Miss Muffet

·         Little Red Riding Hood.

Macy’s employees dressed up as:

·         clowns

·         cowboys

·         sword-wielding knights

Animals were in the parade also. Coming from Central Park Zoo were:

·         bears

·         elephants

·         camels

·         monkeys

And a few bands created the atmosphere for the holiday season.

Bringing up the rear of the parade was a float showcasing the guest of honor—Santa Claus. Who else, right? He sat in his sleigh on top of a mountain of ice with, of course, his reindeer.

The tradition of Santa bringing up the rear of the parade continues, and as I see him today, I get excited. Joyful. Energetic. Yep, even after all these years. He welcomes in the Christmas season and makes a person feel like a kid again.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, all!

 

Here’s your writing prompt for today:

Writing a memoir story of your most memorable moment of Thanksgiving.

OR

Write a story of someone who arrives in New York City alone to see the Thanksgiving Day Parade and what happens to them. What types of people will they meet? Where will they stay? What’s going on back home while they are in New York? Expand this idea to a book form if it makes sense.

Information for this blog post came from: https://www.history.com/news/the-first-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade