The history of the Thanksgiving Day Parade

Ah, Thanksgiving -- a time where the amount of food you eat doesn't matter, giving back is in style and football is a family event. But perhaps one of the most cherished Thanksgiving day traditions is watching the parade.

It began in the 1920s, when Macy's was flying high with the roaring decade. The store expanded to become the world's largest, and to celebrate, they threw a mighty fine parade. Just two weeks before Thanksgiving, Macy's president at the time announced the massive event.

The original parade began on 145th street in Harlem and went all the way down to Macy's -- three times as long as it is today! It was eventually trimmed down to its current length to make it more '"TV-friendly."

Watch the video above for some amazing footage of the very first celebration through the streets of New York.

Related slideshow: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade