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Published: November 26th 2010
Now, I know that many holidays have had their significance obscured by layers of time, and, more recently, by rampant commercialism (aka greetings card companies) but I have struggled to come up with any concensus as to what Thanksgiving is about. Google and wikipedia weren't much help, unless you wanted to make cranberry sauce that is ... so today we went along to view the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade (in its 84th year) to see things first-hand.
Seventh Avenue has been cold all week, but at 7.00 am with a mean and bitter east-wind blowing it was a trial. Until that is the estimated 5.5 million other spectators joined us to line the route - nowhere have I appreciated so well how much thermal energy a human produces. William and Emily were soon lost behind very tall and polite people, who nevertheless just stood in front of them ... the fat russian spent several hours being further compressed under the weight of his children on his shoulders.
9.30 and the long wait was over ... a succession of marching bands, floats, giant dirigibles then ensued. So is Thanksgiving about Snoopy, or Kung Fu Panda, or any of the other animated characters about
to have new movies released? Probably not ...
Judging by the quieter streets this morning, and the fact that some Starbucks (even) were shut it seems that Thanksgiving Day is a day to give thanks for time with family, and to actually spend some time at home gathered around the dinner table. Not such a bad idea then!
Tomorrow we leave this remarkable place behind and head to New Zealand. New York has assaulted our eyes, ears and taste-buds but, I have to say, I am glad that the children have come to the same conclusion as us. Cities are great to visit but as Emily put it yesterday 'Shouldn't there be a bit more landscape?'
'Have a nice day' NY
'Kia ora' NZ
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