A small grey cloud hangs over the proceedings for this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade caused by ISIS labeling it “an excellent target” last week. Not to be daunted or take the threat lightly NBC reported that Police are reinforcing security for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Police plan to station sand-filled trucks and concrete barriers as blockades all around the parade route to stop trucks.

Security assured and uneasiness aside, when I was little I loved watching Captain Kangaroo every morning and each year on Thanksgiving they’d take you behind the scenes to watch all the Macy’s Parade Balloons begin blown up. The Macy's site says it takes 90 people to hold the works of balloon art down and walk them through the parade which for me is pure magic. I am very excited to see the new, Bouncing Dog Balloon happily making her way down the parade route at approx. 36 feet long and 15 feet wide. Estimated at over 40 feet high, she’s one tall pup! . Needless to say I have seldom ever missed the parade on TV and it remains one of my bucket list items to see it in person someday. No classic rockers in the line up this year. Look for lots of Olympians, reality winner and the Muppets though. Check out this video of the process to get the balloons in the air on Thanksgiving

Here are some fun things you may not know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

  • Starting in 1924 it was originally called the Macy’s Christmas day parade
  • Every year since then it has been offered up to the city of New York by Macy’s on Thanksgiving Day.
  • The parade was the brain child of Macy’s first generation immigrant employees who wanted to show their gratitude for their new American life in the form of a European style festival.
  • In the early years the floats were pulled by real horse power and live animals from the Central Park Zoo were also stars in the parade
  • The first giant balloon of Micky Mouse was introduced in 1927
  • Originally the giant balloons were let go at the end of the parade with an address sewn into them and if you found it and mailed it back to Macy’s you got a gift.
  • During WWII the parade was put on hold from 1942 – 1944 and the rubber used to make the balloons was donated to the war effort.
  • This Thanksgiving you will see over a dozen balloons in the Macy’s Parade and Snoopy is the longest running participant.
  • For the massive parade to make it’s 2 mile march it takes approximately 4000 volunteers.
  • On Thanksgiving Day the New York streets fill with over 3 million viewers and over 40 million folks like you and me watch it on TV.
  • The parade was televised for the first time in 1939. They took hiatus during the war and although CBS to this day carries unauthorized portions of the parade NBC has been the official broadcaster since 1952.
  • thStreet
    (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
    (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
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