thanksgiving

There are some things that just make Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving... things that really fill my heart with the celebration of the day. The people I love, of course... congo squares... and the Macy's parade. I suppose I should throw turkey in there, but, if I had all of those other things, the turkey part just doesn't matter. Predictable me... as long as I have my dessert (my melt-in-your-mouth chocolate & nut filled blondie brownies that I call congo squares) I don't need a meal. But I could even do without dessert if there was a parade. I suppose it must be part of nearly every one's tradition... to enjoy the parade that marches down Broadway and into Herald Square... but for me it is more than a tradition, I guess... it is part of me. I think because I've stood there, in the cold, shivering and waiting for the magic to begin... and seeing those magnificently huge balloons bounce along overhead is amazing. Seeing it on TV is pretty spectacular, but being there in person is truly special. I think I've been there four times... and every time I watch it on TV, I dream of going again... and my mind tries to work out how I can make it happen. It is more than just a parade... I certainly associate the whole thing with my New York experiences... traipsing along the busy streets... lining up to see the magic that is displayed within the department store windows... watching Cinderella in the movie theater and crying with my Mom... the fairy lights that glitter in Rockefeller Center... climbing the steps, one by one, for what seemed like hours, just to peek out the crown of Lady Liberty... and the Rockettes- for me, the Rockettes are just as big as the parade. And so, for me, Thanksgiving begins curled up and cuddled in blankets, waiting for the parade to start... and the moment they begin to announce it, the tears begin... I am thankful for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... in person, or on TV. I am thankful for the parade, and the memories... and the people I share it with every year. It is the way I start out the day... and from there, it only gets better.