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(AP) - These days, giant balloons are a defining characteristic of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. But it wasn't always so. When the parade began in 1924, it was called the Macy's Christmas Parade and featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo marching along with Macy's employees, according to the store's website. It wasn't until three years later, in 1927, that the parade included balloons. The inflatables have been part of the tradition every year since then - except for 1971, when they were grounded by bad weather and high winds.
Here's a gallery of images from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades since 1929.
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