What I Did On Thanksgiving: In Photos
by Jenners • 11/27/2010 • Travels • 97 Comments
We went to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in NYC.
It was touch and go if we would watch the whole parade.
The Little One wasn't pleased with the "waiting" portion.
What a wimp!!!
But once these guys started appearing...
... he was totally enraptured!
It was neat to be a part of something iconic like this.
None of us had ever been to a big-time parade before.
I could not help wishing one of the floats would get loose.
Jessica Simpson...one of the "celebrities" we'd heard of...
...although this guy makes a lot of headlines too. (Kayne West).
Decorating for Christmas is acceptable now that the Big Guy is here.
What an awesome way to spend the holiday. I grew up watching this parade on TV and would love to see it in person! It’s on the bucket list!
It was neat to be a part of it. You should check out the Rose Parade … that is closer to you, right?
Yes, the Rose Parade is closer but it just doesn’t have the same cache as the one in NYC!
Awesome! You scored “I was there” pics of the two new floats … My younger daughter went on and on about Kung Fu Panda and Jeff being added to the line up.
A great Thanksgiving memory for you all.
You could tell the new floats from some of the older floats too. The Engergizer Bunny’s tail looked a bit dirty!
Great photos!! An outstanding bucket list thing to do, even if you have to freeze your buns off to do it.
It was cold … but oh so worth it.
These pictures are GREAT!!! What a great experience! I’ve only ever seen the parade on TV!
It was really neat!! First time I was part of something that I’d actually seen on TV too!
how exciting–guess you can check that off your bucket list. Hope your holiday was wonderful.
Yup … checked it off! : )
I must admit, I never watch it on TV anymore but there would definitely be something magical about being there.
It was neat to see something in person that I’d only seen on TV before … though it does look better on TV (and much warmer). : )
Great photos! I have been to many a St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin and all were pretty dire, but this looks like a lot of fun!
I’m sure a St. Patty’s day in Dublin is quite the spectacle but in a very different way!
That’s quite a parade for a first time major one! I don’t like the waiting portion either so I don’t blame the Little One.
We figured “Go big or go home!”
And I wasn’t too keen on the waiting either. I just didn’t whine about it!
Very, very cool. I would LOVE to go one year!! I’ve never been to anything bigger than a small-town parade, which usually consists of various classic cars, trucks and tractors driving around the town square. Yes. I live in Mayberry. (OH — WAIT! I’ve been to parades at Disney World. Those count, right?)
Sure … Disney parades count … but they are kind of “manufactured daily parades” so they only count 50%. I’d never been to a big-time parade either … it was neat!
Oh, awesome! Wow, you guys must have had a great spot to watch the parade too because those pictures are amazing!
I’ve never been to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade nor have I watched it on TV so I’m not sure how impressive it is. However, I have been to the Tournament of Rose Parade in Pasadena, California (during New Year’s) so I imagine this experience must be similar, right?
Glad to see that you had a great Thanksgiving weekend!
I would love to go to the Rose Parade next. I think that is probably a bit different in tone and creativity … but both are fun in their own way.
Oh how fun! I would love to experience that some day!
It was a neat experience. Now I want to see the Rose Parade! : )
How fun. Since we don’t have regular tv programming, I forgot all about the parade. I would love to go one year. And you scored a free hotel room? How awesome are you? So, is your tree up and decorated?
We got the hotel room by earning points through the Hilton Honors program. This was our biggest “coup” to date … the room would have cost something like $1500 dollars and we paid NOTHING! Amazing!
We haven’t done our tree yet … we’re going to wait until mid-December but we did do our outdoor lights today because it was nice outside.
It’s been years since I’ve been to that parade.. I think I was three at the time so of course I don’t remember much of it. We watch it every year on TV though. I love the Rockettes!! I always wanted to be one. If I workout a few times a day perhaps my wish can come true! Okay, if I workout ten times a day, marry a plastic surgeon and grow about 5 inches taller maybe I could be one.
I couldn’t imagine being a Rockette … like you, I would need to grow about 6 inches (all in my legs), lose about 60 pounds and exercise!
How very exciting that you got to be there live and in person! I would love to do this someday. Thanks for sharing all your awesome photos with us!
It was a neat experience, and I’m so thankful I got to go. It is fun to be a part of something you’ve seen for years on TV!
How cool! I’ve always wanted to go to the Macy’s Parade, so it’s fun to see things from your experience. Thanks for sharing your great pictures! Too fun.
Glad you enjoyed it. And I hope you make it to the parade some day!
What a wonderful experience. i would love for my granddaughgters to experience a big city parade….and me too, of course!
It is one of those things I think everyone should get to do at least once.
That is so awesome! That is definitely on my bucket list, I just don’t know when we’ll ever be on the East Coast during the Thanksgiving time. Maybe when the kids are older – who knows! I love your photos though!
It would be hard to fly in for something like that … we’re lucky we are in driving distance (and scored a free hotel room!)
Oh wow! I watch that parade on tv every year – it’s just not Thanksgiving without having it on while beginning the food preparations….that is just too cool you were able to be there! Thank you for sharing the pictures with us and your anecdotes! It’s like being so happy one of your good friends got to go experience something “iconic” as you said! I am thrilled for you!
But where did you eat Thanksgiving dinner?
We ate Thanksgiving dinner at Boston Market!!! It was a pretty good trade-off I think!
Haha, I love the energizer bunny.
He was one of my favorites!
how wonderful. Being English part of me really thought that this was only a tv thing, only seen on movies. The atmosphere must have been fantastic.
I know what you mean … it was weird to be at something I’d only seen on TV before.
It looks like you guys had fun! I’ve never been to a big parade like that, but I’m pretty sure I’d be hoping one of the floats would break loose too
It was pretty neat. I think everyone should see a big parade at least once in their life.
I am SO jealous! This is one of my “bucket list” things to do.
What time did you get there and how long did you have to wait? Where did you decide to stand? The pictures are great!
I want to go the Wednesday night before and take pictures of them blowing up the balloons in Central Park West. Some year…..
We did go to the balloon inflation the day before … it was PACKED. (I had this naive idea that we would wander freely among the balloons. Apparently thousands of others do the same thing.)
We were there the night before and literally walked out of our hotel (which was right on Times Square) about 8:30 am. We just stood right off on the side street (we were across from the TKTS booth) and you could see pretty good. We kept jockeying for position and the police kept changing their mind about where they would let people stand. Eventually we ended up at the front of one of the barriers so we got a good view. It got crazy crowded though … it was at least 30 people deep in parts and there was no room to move. Some people brought step ladders to stand on so they could see. It was an interesting experience to say the least!
I hope you get to go someday.
These are great shots! My two and a half year old would be in float heaven, I think! Too much fun. :0)
It is such a neat thing for kids … and big kids too. I was concerned my son would grow bored but he didn’t.
Great shots! I didn’t realize that Santa Claus was a part of Thanksgiving though…
I guess that “He” arrives at the end … thereby kicking off the hoilday season.
Did I tell you that my parents were slated to hold the ropes of the Wimpy Kid? My dad used to be the VP of sales of the book manufacturer in my town… they print books for the Scholastic account. Yea. You know that book order people. They printed bajillions of the Wimpy Kids! But my mother not tolerating weather below 60 degrees and my dad’s overall hatred of being in NYC made them rethink the plans and give up the tickets. But the President of that company was there with his wife walking along holding the strings!!! How cool is that! I always wondered what it would look like to be there for the parade (because I personally hate them and would never stand there for that!) You are a brave and courageous soul. But it sounds like you had fun!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
I definitely think it would be more fun to BE in the parade … at least warmer. How neat that your dad was asked to be in it … too bad he didn’t pass the tickets on to you!!!
Oh my goodness — how fun! I only watched a portion of it on TV and did see Snoopy — so on my screen, you would have been to the right of him. How cool!
It is like you saw me on TV!!!!! : )
Oh, I adore NYC, especially during the holidays! Glad your Turkey Day was special…
It is really special during the holidays, isn’t it? It is like being in a movie.
wow Jenners, you’ve come a long way in your blogging since out first introduction so long ago!
I am always the only one to get up early to watch the macys parade every year! I sit on my couch all bundled up and just get lost in NYC! How wonderful that you got to be there in person! wow! You got some great pics too!
It was a wonderful experience and I feel so lucky we got to do it (though I would have warmed things up by a few degrees). : )
I’m so glad to see that you have prominently featured the Purdue band! (I grew up about 20 miles from Purdue! Go Boilers!) I can’t even imagine the reaction of a six year old to those huge balloons. Wouldn’t that be a hoot to see a runaway Kermit?
You can’t help but wonder what would happen if those balloons just broke loose? How high would they go? Would they get caught on a building? Would they puncture quickly? It would be interesting but I imagine it might be dangerous too!!!
And Purdue was the very first band in the parade … that must mean something right?
That’s something we’ve been wanting to do! Looks like you had a great time1
It was neat … and something to experience at least once in life I think. Thought I’d love to see the Rose Parade too.
Looks like fun for the whole family Jenners
We’ve never been but one day we hope to go. Very cool that Kanye was there. He’s a jerk, but I like his music. Great pics!
Everyone is raving about Kayne’s new album but I’ve not heard anything from it. He sure knows how to make headlines though!
I grew up in NYC and was to the parade often as a kid. And no Jenners, a float never broke loose when I was there either
LOL . I guess you have to do the Rockefeller Xmas tree next 
We saw them decorating the tree on scaffolding, which was pretty neat too. you don’t see that side of things too often.
I went a couple o times, years ago, when I lived in North Jersey and it was just a PATH train away…but I have to go again soon.
I LOVE all the bands. The balloons are cool, the floats are nice, but for me, it is all about the many bands.
The bands were neat … you missed them when they were gone. The music really peps you up.
What a fun way for y’all to spend Thanksgiving! I can relate to the waiting part, though. I don’t think that’s necessarily just a kid trait.
Yep…. a loose balloon would have added some extra excitement to things!! Oh, and I’m all decorated now. Well, almost.
It was pretty brutal waiting, I must admit. I’ve just learned to control my boredom better!
Awesome way to spend the day Jenners. The weather cooperated as well–always a plus. I’m not big on the holidays but I do love going to NYC in December to see the sights….this year that will be 12/11.
Oh … we missed each other. It was fun to get to see the parade … and we saw the big tree but it wasn’t lit up yet. We saw the guys on the scaffolding!
Great pics! I was hoping for some of you in there though!
I was looking kind of rough that day so I spared you the horror!
I’m so jealous! I’ve never even been to New York City.
It sounds like you had a fantastic time. The Little One will remember it forever.
It was really neat … if a little cold. And NYC is just amazing even if you don’t get to see something cool like this.
I am so jealous! How awesome is that! We’re you in the section that booed Kayne?
I think that was the whole parade!! HAHA!!!! The lady behind me kept saying “Oh he is one hot mess.”
I’m so jealous!!! I love the parade. I really want to go one of these years. I watch it every year. Jillian loved watching it with me on the couch. Those pictures are great. You were in a really good location. Glad that you had fun.
We did get a pretty good spot all things considered. It was a little on the cold side though. About an hour in, I was thinking the couch might be a better spot!
Wow! Now that is a way to spend Thanksgiving.
It is!! Who needs a feast when you have giant floats!
The Boy loves you (in a strictly platonic way) for posting the great pics, especially the ones of Snoopy and Kermit.
He is envious that you got to see it in person. We couldn’t even get the rabbit ears to cooperate – first time he’s not watched the parade at all.
Hope you had a marvelous time!
Awww…that stinks that you couldn’t see it at all. I’m glad I was able to help brighten his day a little.
I stayed up till 1 am to finish it.
I’m jealous! My kids really want to this sometime.
PS I read Room this week. It was so, so good. I couldn’t put it down.
Oooohhh…so glad you thought ROOM was good. It is hard to put down once you start isn’t it?
Very cool! I like the Energizer Bunny…the others look vaguely creepy as the float along!
I meant they, not the. Maybe I should just go back to bed?
I just kept wanting to see what would happen if the float handlers just let go. I’m sure it would have been interesting … if not a little dangerous.
Love that last picture – Henry Kissinger!!!
(long story – back in 2006 we watched the parade on TV and Jason kept telling Morrigan that Henry Kissinger was coming at the end of the parade. We thought Morrigan knew J was joking. We pointed out “Henry Kissinger” and all Morrigan saw was Santa. He burst out crying and wailed inconsolably for 15 mins about how he waited all that time and he missed Henry Kissinger, he didn’t see him! Yeah. 
)
I would love to see the parade in person one day!!
That is too funny!!! Thanks for sharing that bit of family lore … now I’ll now to look for Henry Kissinger in the future!! : )
I am totally jealous!!
Too bad BEA doesn’t happen at Thanksgiving!
So how long was the wait? I think I’ll be putting this on my bucket list. I’ll have to go alone, since my family doesn’t wait well either. Hey but maybe my sisters cause they could then do black friday in NYC. I’m almost finished Musashi. Sorry for being so slow, it’s not a quick read. and keeping everybody straight. I’d love to know how old your dad was when he read this? I haven’t even read your reviews for fear of a spoiler. Have a wonderful weekend thanks for taking us to the parade. I’ll have to call my sisters now and see if we should book something for next Thanksgiving.
It really wasn’t too bad of a wait for us (45 minutes) but, to a 6-year-old, that is long boring eternity! (And we didn’t even try to get “excellent seats” and camp out.) He loved it though once things got going.
I’m not sure how old my dad was when he first read Musashi. And don’t worry about your post being late … it is a long read!
I’ve never been to that parade either; how exciting to see it in person!
It was really neat. Those floats are gigantic!!!