Thanksgiving morning; the day many wake up to the smell of a feast and turn on the TV to watch the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade with friends and family. On November 22, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will grace the New York City streets for the 92nd time and 50 million Americans will tune in from the comfort of their homes.

“My family and I watch the parade every year while making food for our dinner. My favorite balloon is Spongebob,” junior Olivia Dopp said.

The famous event was originally for Christmas, and debuted in 1924. It was celebrating Macy’s expansion of their Manhattan store, which they called the “World’s Largest Store.” Due to the inability to record with cameras, the parade was broadcasted on radio for the first three years. The first Christmas parade consisted of “floats, bands, animals from the zoo and 10,000 onlookers,” according to the Macy’s history page. Balloons replaced live animals in the parade in 1927.

“My favorite balloon is the Snoopy balloon. I like it because it is the cutest balloon in the parade,” said junior Marin Irlbeck.

Mickey Mouse, one of the most beloved cartoon characters, first debuted in the parade in 1934. The balloon was created by a collaboration between Walt Disney and the Macy’s designers.

The parade was first televised on NBC in 1952, with many balloons and different shows on display for all Americans to enjoy. When Macy’s first started using balloons in the parade, they would let the balloons float away at the end of the festivities. There was a monetary reward for returning the balloon after they released them.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a holiday tradition for many people across the nation for 92 years.