The 89-Year Evolution of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The very first Macy's parade took place in 1924, and every year the event grew larger and larger. It wasn't until after 1935 that the annual parade changed its name from a Christmas parade to a Thanksgiving parade. (Santa has always been a part!) Mickey Mouse became a float in 1934.
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One of the best Thanksgivings I have ever experienced took place in 1994. I was a freshman at NYU and my mother decided to travel up to the city and join me for the holiday. It is the only time I have ever seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in person. If you haven't experienced this exhilarating spectacle that is so completely unique to the Big Apple, I am going to suggest you put it on your bucket-list. Some interesting math for you: The parade is in it's 89th year. The only years the nation went without the Parade were during World War II. That makes this year, 2013, the 87th parade. What began as a Christmas Parade in 1924 for the flagship department store in Manhattan evolved into something truly magical for Macy's. For many of us, when we finally see Santa on the screen at the end of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, we officially begin to embrace the Christmas season. To get you in the holiday spirit, take a look at some of the greatest moments from the past 89 years. -By Dresden Shumaker
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