Santa's appearance is the finale at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

National tradition

For as long as I can remember, my family has had two traditions on Thanksgiving Day, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV and going to the Lighting of the Rich’s Great Tree.

Every year you know the holiday season has arrived when the "Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade" is on TV. You hear all of the holiday songs and see the costumes and floats that get you pepped up for the holiday season. I couldn't tell you when I first started watching the parade on TV, its something I have always looked forward to. To this day, it’s the start of my day on Thanksgiving.

Macy’s has been putting on its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1924. As a kid I loved seeing the giant balloons, Snoopy, Spider Man and Superman. Another thing I love about the parade, the marching bands. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade selects the best bands in the country to participate each year.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Logo
Source: Wikipedia/Macys.com

On this year’s broadcast from New York City, will air on NBC and hosted by Today anchors Meredith Vieira, Matt Lauer and Al Roker. The Parade will start at 77th Street and Central Park West and make its way down Broadway, eventually passing Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square at 34th Street and Broadway. Among the balloons making appearances this Thanksgiving are: Dora the Explorer, Kermit the Frog, The Pillsbury Dough Boy, Sailor Mickey Mouse, Shrek, The Energizer Bunny and my favorite Spider Man.

What’s a Thanksgiving Day Parade with out music? Gloria Gaynor, Carly Simon and the gang from "Sesame Street" are among the performers schedule to appear in this year’s parade.

Ariel view of Lenox Square Mall. Macy's Department Store
can be seen on the far left corner of the building.

Atlanta Tradition

I was born and raised in Atlanta. I remember going downtown on Thanksgiving night in frigid temperature to see the lighting of the great tree at Rich’s Department Store. Back when I was a kid, Rich’s flagship store was located across from the Five Points Marta Station at Forsyth Street and Alabama Street. The Store was so big it took up much of two city blocks with Forsyth Street in between two of the buildings. The buildings were connected by a glass bridge that crossed over Forsyth Street.

Every Thanksgiving Day, the store would put on it annual show, the Lighting of the Great Rich’s Tree. Choirs from all over the Atlanta metro area would sing at different levels on the glass bridge, known as the crystal bridge. When it was time to light the tree, all of the choirs would begin to sing “O Holy Night”. When the choirs hit the highest note in the song, the Rich’s Great Tree would light up above the four story crystal bridge. The tree, usually a huge pine tree was between 75 to 90 feet tall. The decorations for the tree were bigger than a regulation size basketball.

Another treat for kids was the Pink Pig, located on the roof of Rich’s Department Store, nestled just under the Great Tree. The Pink Pig was a children’s monorail like ride. The Ride consisted of a front car that looked like a smiling pig. The other cars were in the shape of the pig’s body with the last car resembling the pig’s backend. The Pink Pig would take kids on an up close ride around the Rich’s Tree. My mother would take me to the Pink Pig before I saw Santa Clause. I was one of those kids that would scream in fear of seeing Santa Clause, so it was always best to do the Pink Pig first.

Nowadays, Rich’s Department Store was sold years ago and became part of Macy’s Department Stores. The downtown Atlanta store was torn down and the Sam Nunn Federal Building now stands in its place. Macy’s has continued the tradition of the Lighting of the Great Tree at its Lenox Mall location. The event which is usually hosted by longtime Atlanta news anchor, WSB-TV’s Monica Pearson, just outside of the Macy’s Men’s Store. The tree selected this year comes from Dallas, GA. It is a 60 foot white pine tree. It is expected that over 100,000 people will gather in the Lenox Mall parking lot to watch the ceremony. Country music artist Josh Turner and American Idol’s Mandisa will be performing at this year’s tree lighting. The event will be televised on WSB-TV Channel 2 in Atlanta.

If you plan on attending the event, taking Marta is smarter. You may want to arrive before 6 p.m. so you don't miss any of the pre-show festivities. You can get to Lenox Mall by taking the Northbound yellow line and exiting at Lenox train station. The mall is located at 3393 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta, GA. The tree lighting is free and should be a fun event for the whole family, if you aren’t too stuffed from all the turkey and the trimmings. Click here for more information on the Macy’s Great Tree Lighting.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs at 9 A.M. on NBC, WXIA-TV, Channel 11. Macy’s “Lighting of the Great Tree” airs live at 7 P.M. on WSB-TV, channel 2 in Atlanta. Check your local listings for specific channel information.Mon

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