“Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.” –Amy Grant

Arriving at Herald Square in midtown Manhattan just before 9:00 a.m. last Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, I felt both excitement and fear of the chilly 27°F weather. From the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station, I was hesitant to go outside and even considered canceling my coverage of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as this year was New York City’s coldest Thanksgiving since 1901, where temperatures were lower by one degree, 26°F.

Those lining the street were bundled up in “full battle gear” – thick scarves, fleece hoodies, gloves, boots; I had a coat and hood, but no gloves.

30 minutes in the frigid air took its toll on my body; after about an hour, my spirit was willing to sustain the weather, but my body could not – I was frozen in Manhattan. I eventually gave up and made my way to Grand Central Station and caught the 7-train to Queens.

However, before calling it quits for the day, I did manage to catch 18 of the 26 massive balloons, including Charlie Brown, Olaf from Frozen, Pikachu, Ronald McDonald, SpongeBob SquarePants, Elf on the shelf, among others. The parade also featured marching bands and floats, and culminated with the arrival of Santa Claus.

The balloons debuted back in 1927, which included a 60-foot dinosaur. Felix the Cat has been with the parade from its outset, Mickey Mouse joined in 1934, and the “Peanuts” characters arrived in 1968.

While the chilly weather conditions were expected, the days prior to the parade offered temperatures in the 40s, with wind chills in the 30s.

On Thanksgiving Day, Chicago was 39°F, Washington DC came in at 35°F, Boston was a colder destination with temperatures of 22°F, while Los Angles and Atlanta both boasted temperatures in the 60s./WDJ