Macy’s Parade: Not the First?! The Real Thanksgiving Story.

Okay, so you’re snuggled on the couch, maybe still in your pajamas, coffee in hand, watching a giant Snoopy float drift down 7th Avenue. You’re probably thinking, “Ah, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – a grand American tradition, probably since, like, ever, right?” And honestly, who could blame you? It feels as ingrained in the holiday fabric as burnt gravy and awkward family conversations. But here’s a little secret, a fun fact that might just blow your pilgrim hat off — Macy’s wasn’t the first to parade its way into our Thanksgiving hearts.

I know, I know. It’s almost sacrilege to suggest another parade got there first. It’s like finding out Santa Claus actually got his start hawking soda. (Well, he kind of did, but that’s another story.) This news, for me anyway, was a real head-scratcher. We’re so conditioned to associate Macy’s with all things Thanksgiving parade, but history, as it often does, has a little twist in store. A much earlier parade actually kicked off this whole whimsical, pre-dinner spectacle.

Hold Up – Who Paraded First?

Now, you might be picturing some tiny, local procession, maybe a few floats cobbled together by enthusiastic townsfolk. Or maybe a bunch of early 20th-century hipsters marching ironically. Nope. The true pioneer of the Thanksgiving Day parade wasn’t some mom-and-pop shop or a small-town council. It was Gimbels, a huge department store in Philadelphia, that actually beat Macy’s to the punch by a solid seven years.

The Gimbels Gambit – A Bold Move in Retail

In 1920, Gimbels department store decided, “You know what? This Thanksgiving thing could use a little pizzazz.” They launched their “Santa Claus Parade” on Thanksgiving Day. Think about that for a second – 1920! Macy’s didn’t get their act together until 1927. So while Macy’s was still probably trying to figure out what a decent parade even looked like, Gimbels was already marching through the streets of Philly, basically setting the standard.

• The Timing: 1920 vs. 1927. Seven years, that’s a pretty significant head start in the world of tradition-building.
• The Motivation: Both Gimbels and later Macy’s were trying to kick off the Christmas shopping season with a bang. It wasn’t just about Thanksgiving, it was about getting people into their stores. Smart, really.

Wait, Why Don’t We Talk About Gimbels Now?

This is where it gets interesting, from a historical and cultural memory perspective. How does a pioneer get so thoroughly overshadowed? Gimbels, which eventually went out of business in 1987, just didn’t have the same staying power or, perhaps, the PR machine that Macy’s did. Macy’s, with its New York City backdrop, bigger budgets, and eventually television broadcasts, simply became the iconic image in everyone’s mind.

“It’s not always about who starts first, it’s about who crosses the finish line, and then keeps running, year after year, embedding themselves in the national psyche.”

Think about it like this: MySpace was first, but Facebook won. Blockbuster was huge, but Netflix conquered. Sometimes, being second, but having the amplification and longevity, makes all the difference. New York City, too, offers a certain undeniable glamour that Philadelphia, while a great city, perhaps couldn’t quite match on a national scale for such a spectacle.

Macy’s Entry: A Late Bloomer That Grew Huge

When Macy’s did finally launch their “Christmas Parade” (it was originally called that, imagine!), it was a fairly local affair, mostly featuring employees dressed as clowns and animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. Yeah, real animals. Today we have these enormous, helium-filled characters, but back then? A real elephant might just mosey on by your sidewalk spot. Which, honestly, sounds kind of cool, if a little messy.

From Zoos to Zillion-Dollar Balloons

The transformation is pretty wild. From actual zoo animals – think lions and bears, walking down city streets, which sounds like an insurance nightmare in today’s world – to these massive character balloons we know and love. The first balloons, introduced in 1928, were actually filled with air, not helium, and some were designed to be released at the end, offering a small prize to whoever found them. Can you imagine finding a giant balloon remnant in your yard and claiming a prize from Macy’s? That’s a unique kind of scavenger hunt. It seems like Macy’s hit on a formula that just resonated, especially as radio and then television started to beam these images into homes across America.

The marketing genius of connecting a parade so directly to the opening of the Christmas shopping season was just, well, genius. It wasn’t just a parade; it was a seasonal marker, a ritual. And as time went on, and television became ubiquitous, the Macy’s parade simply became THE Thanksgiving Day Parade, effectively erasing its predecessor from common knowledge. Except for us history buffs, of course, who like to pull back the curtain on these things.

Why Does It Matter, Anyway?

Beyond just a fun trivia fact, this story reminds us that traditions, even ones that feel ancient, often have more recent, and sometimes surprising, origins. It’s a testament to branding, marketing, and cultural momentum. Gimbels started it, but Macy’s scaled it, broadcast it, and ultimately owned it. It reminds us that not everything we take for granted as “always been there” actually has.

So, next Thanksgiving, when you’re watching those colossal balloons sail by, maybe spare a tiny thought for Gimbels, the unwitting pioneer of the Thanksgiving parade. They walked so Macy’s could run – or rather, so Snoopy could fly. And hey, knowing this little bit of history makes those sleepy Thanksgiving mornings just a tiny bit more interesting, doesn’t it?