My Life Down the Road: Squealing Like a Little Kid - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

November 22, 2012
Thursday
Day #2

We rolled out of bed this morning around 5:15
Dressed quickly in warm layers and grabbed breakfast at our hotel
We hit the streets of New York and walked to the corner of 39th and 6th
It’s Thanksgiving Day and we’re here to witness an iconic tradition
The Macy’s parade – something I have watched on television since I was a child
We stood in the cold, surrounded by three or four million of our closest friends
There were tons of families with jubilant smiling kids and plenty of holiday cheer
Except for Mr. Cranky-pants and his obnoxious son
Bless their hearts but they nearly started a fist fight with another family
Who’d been there since 5:00 am holding a spot for Grandma and the littlest ones
They were practically nose to nose at one point, hollering at each other
Apparently the best way to hold your spot is with folding camp chairs
And linking arms against the encroaching press of Scrooge-like parade goers
If we’re lucky maybe a New York pigeon
Will fly over Mr. Cranky-pants and drop a little present on him

The parade finally arrived at our corner around 9:45
It was thrilling to be there, even with the crush of the crowds
Which now stood about 15 people deep behind us
I must admit squealing like a little kid when the first of our favorite balloons
Came floating down the street, bobbing and bouncing to the beat of holiday music
Kermit the Frog, Charlie Brown, Spider Man, Mickey Mouse, and Buzz Light Year
There were wonderful marching bands, colorful floats, and a few celebrities –
Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Trace Adkins, Flo Rida, Carly Rae Jepsen
And of course the jolly man in red -Santa Claus!
Friends and family looked for us on television during the parade
But we were far from the glint of the television cameras
It’s probably a good thing; you never know what might have happened!
It took some time to meander back since the crowds were so heavy
We had reservations at Ben’s Delicatessen but police had the street blocked off
In order to deflate the huge balloons and load them into trucks
We opted instead for sandwiches and the chance to rest our weary feet
And people watch – oh, my – New York does not disappoint!