No Etsomnia™ this week. I thought I’d give the poor, beleaguered Etsy sellers something for which to be grateful.
This year, Thanksgiving is going virtual. In true 2020 style, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade spectators will not be permitted to watch in person, nor will Macy’s hold its annual balloon blow-up event in front of the Museum of Natural History. The parade route has been drastically shortened, and what marching there is will be taking place in front of Macy’s flagship store on Manhattan’s 34th Street.
I’m still a bit worried about all those participants, but Macy’s has put plenty of safety protocols in place. Everyone involved is getting tested, they’re all going to be wearing masks, and they’ll be able to stay 6 feet apart from one another. NBC will need wide-angle lenses to get the full effect this year!
The “parade” plan is ambitious, but actually kind of genius. First, there will be no children involved in the spectacle, the number of participants has been reduced by 88%, and the actual events are going to be split over three days. Even the giant balloons, which are typically each pulled by 80-100 people, are instead going to be handled by specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYPD.
“Macy’s believes in celebration and the joy of marking milestone moments with family and friends. For nearly 100 years, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the official start of the holiday season in the United States. Under the unique challenges of these unparalleled times, we felt it was important to continue this cherished American tradition that has been the opening act to the holiday season for generations of families.”
You can watch the (virtual) festivities on NBC and Telemundo on Thursday November 26, 9AM-Noon in all time zones. You can learn more about the parade and their safety measures on the Macy’s website parade page. Now, here are a few photos and videos of past Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades from Instagram.
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My OBT 
November 26, 2020 at 10:41 am
lots of November blue skies in those photos that’s always a good thing
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November 26, 2020 at 3:29 pm
I’m looking at one out my window right now!
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November 26, 2020 at 1:39 pm
I could give this one ten stars. Totally enjoyed looking at all of them. The one that I am going to really miss is the Rosebowl parade. I was able to be there a very long time for two of them in person. I hope Donna and her beloved have a great Thanksgiving. Due to mechanical problems, I will not be with my family until Saturday but I am going to join them via video chat today. If nothing else we have all learned how to video chat better. — Hal
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November 26, 2020 at 3:31 pm
You’re absolutely right about video chatting. I’m positively a pro by now. I can even stage my background in under 3 minutes! Wishing you a happy holiday, too!
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November 26, 2020 at 1:40 pm
What fun!
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November 26, 2020 at 3:31 pm
It was pretty cool!
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