The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started as a two-block-long procession requested by a group of Macy's employees in 1924 to celebrate the coming of Christmas. Since then, the parade has grown to attract more than 3.5 million spectators and tens of millions of television viewers and represent to many the start of the holiday season.<br><br> A fish balloon and a tiger balloon proceed through Manhattan during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, circa 1929.

A not-too-ferocious dragon caught the fancy of the crowd at the 1931 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A pig balloon flies in front of the Empire State Building on Nov. 24, 1932.

Gulliver The Gullible was one of stars of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 30, 1933.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade curves down Broadway from 110th St. to 34th St., Nov. 29, 1934.

Balloons float down Broadway in the 1937 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Seven musical organizations, twenty-one floats and balloon units and 400 costumed marchers participated in this year's merry cavalcade.

The Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz" flies high in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Nov. 23, 1939. The movie was released earlier in the same year.

The Santa Claus balloon from the 1941 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade reached 106th and Manhattan Ave. before it collapsed.

The giant hand of the 45-foot Macy's clown is inflated with helium for the 1942 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The kids at 34th St. and Broadway get a personal salute from a clown at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 22, 1945.

A Felix the Cat balloon and other parade floats and balloons are led down Broadway during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in an undated image.

Youngsters cheer their favorite characters as they go by in the 27th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 25, 1954.

A turkey-shaped balloon is preceded by a marching band through Times Square during the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade in New York, Nov. 27, 1959.

A lost girl cries in the arms of Police Officer Charles Furey at 35th street before she was claimed by her mother at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 28, 1968.

The Bullwinkle balloon floats along the parade route in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 26, 1970.

Three children sit under a blanket while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 23, 1972.

The Mickey Mouse balloon passes the crowd during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 25, 1982.

Betty Boop collapses on Broadway near 49th Street as handlers work to raise the deflated helium balloon during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, Nov. 27, 1986. Betty Boop, the last balloon in the parade, was unable to finish the route.

A large inflatable Ronald McDonald sits on the street during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 27, 1986.

A giant balloon of Bart Simpson floats overlooks Central Park during the 69th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 23, 1995 in New York City.

The Pink Panther balloon collapses in Times Square during the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 27, 1997.

An Arthur balloon is guided along route during the 72nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 26, 1998.

Honey Nut Cheerios Bee has a big wave for the crowd in the 73rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1999.

Russell Greller of Levitown, New York, proposes to his fiance Sarah Dowling in the middle of Times Square before the start of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 25, 2004.

The M&M balloon sways into a lamppost and gets snagged as it passes down Broadway through Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Nov. 24, 2005 in New York. Ropes from the balloon wrapped around the post and snapped off the lamp head, sending it crashing to the crowd below. A 26-year-old woman and an 11-year-old girl were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The Scooby-Doo balloon makes its way down a rainy Broadway during the 80th Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Nov. 23, 2006 in New York City. Due to the weather conditions, the balloons were flown much lower than normal to avoid any mishaps.

Handlers maneuver the sixth design for a Snoopy balloon through Times Square during the 80th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 23, 2006. Despite gusty winds and intermittent rain, a last-minute decision was made to allow the balloons to fly, although at a lower altitude than usual.

The Kermit the Frog balloon floats over spectators at the 81st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 22, 2007.

The Spider-Man balloon makes its way down Seventh Avenue through Times Square during the 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 24, 2011.

An Uncle Sam balloon is marched down Sixth Avenue during the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 28, 2013.

Performers take part in the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 28, 2019.

Tiptoe, a new balloon puppet, receives a pet on the nose from a young child as it proceeds down Central Park West during the Macy's 95th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 25, 2021.