Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: 2014

This was my third year in a row seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person. The first year we got to the parade way later than we should have, and left after realizing we couldn't really see much.

Last year, it was 17 degrees but felt even colder, with 40+ mph winds and balloons so low they were almost dragging on the ground. This year it was much milder, and although we didn't get front row spots like last year, it was a much more pleasant experience.

The balloons flew much higher this year and we were in the middle of a block so we pretty much had an unobstructed view. Of course we were standing right next to the world's loudest woman, who was made even more obnoxious by the large pink balloon she tied to her wrist. Every time the woman behind me would take a photo I would hear her grumble, "Oh, I got a good one of Spiderman...and a pink balloon."

There were a few repeats from last year—Hello Kitty, Spiderman, Snoopy, Spongebob—and some new balloons made their parade debut—Paddington Bear, Thomas the Tank Engine and a new Pikachu. As usual my favorite balloons and floats are the classic Macy icons—stars, elves, candy cane and of course Tom the Turkey.

There was the usual handful of random celebrities, including Kiss, Meghan Trainor, Idina Menzel (née Adele Dazeem), a Jonas brother (don't ask me which one), the new Annie (don't make me try to spell her name correctly), Renee Fleming and Cicely Tyson. Of course none of these were as exciting as seeing Richard Simmons enthusiastically riding a turtle last year, but Richard and I will always have 2013.

This was the first year I actually stayed for the entire parade, and I finally got to see Santa usher in the Christmas season. Just as the parade began to transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas-themed balloons, it started to snow lightly which was pretty perfect.

A lot of people I talk to seem horrified by the idea of getting up so early or by the prospect of crowds and even I admit that when my alarm went off at 4:30 am, I was a bit grumpy about it. But as soon as the parade starts, as soon as Tom the Turkey bats his huge turkey eyelashes, I can't be anything but incredibly grateful that I get to be in the center of it all, and that it's just a few subway stops away.