When you hear the words “The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,” you may have images of a giant floating turkey and Mother Goose with an entourage of people escorting them through the streets of New York. Or maybe those words remind you of the marching bands serenading the viewers with Christmas songs. Or perhaps, you think of a waving and smiling Santa Claus sitting in his sleigh on top of a moving vehicle.
Did you ever wonder how this Thanksgiving Day parade tradition got started? Let’s go back in time to see how Mother Goose and R.H. Macy & Co. helped shape the beginning of what is an almost 100 year old tradition in New York City.
Mother Goose Parades
Mother Goose parades have been around since the 1800s. Early on, these community events were often put on by the children.
“Saturday evening almost 200 of our citizens gathered at the opera house to see The Mother Goose parade by about 49 Sunday school children of the First Congregational church. The children under the direction of Mrs. M. H. Vail appeared in full costumes and marched around the hall for half an hour singing Mother Goose melodies.”[1]
“The program closed with a ‘Mother Goose Parade,’ in which the entire school participated. The garrets for miles around had been ransacked, and all the freaks of fashion within the past centuries appeared to crop out, amid the old-time sayings and homely rhymes of ‘Mother Goose.’”[2]
It wasn’t long before someone realized that, if done correctly, The Mother Goose Parade could draw parents and children away from their daily home life and provide amusement for a price. It soon became part of some traveling circus attractions.
“The Mother Goose parade, fairyland pageants and romantic spectacles will also dazzlingly entrance the young eyes for which they are specially intended. And nothing is anywhere introduced to mar the high character of the entertainment.”[3]
“At 10:30 o’clock next Monday morning Gentry Brothers' famous shows, which are always received with delight by the citizens of Charlotte, will open their engagement here with their famous ‘Mother Goose’ parade.”[4]
R.H. Macy & Company
In 1858, after unsuccessfully running a retail store in Massachusetts, R.H. Macy took his ideas and started a retail store at 6th Avenue in New York City.[5] He made good use of advertising when he placed a December 1862 advertisement in the New York Times.
“R.H. Macy having made a raid on the dominions of Santa Claus, and captured his entire budget of effects, is now displaying to the ladies, gentlemen and children of New York and vicinity an endless variety of holiday goods, toys, fancy goods, embroideries…”[6]
Macy continued to use newspapers for advertising his retail goods especially in December. In 1872, Macy advertised that “Santa Claus has given special directions that our establishment will remain open evening until Christmas for the special benefit of his numerous patrons.”[7]
R. H. Macy died in 1877 but the store remained in the family until 1895 when it was sold to two brothers, Nathan and Isadore Strauss. The Strauss brother’s kept the name but moved the store in the early 1900s to 34th Street. Macy’s ran a Christmas advertisement for their 53rd annual toy celebration on Sunday, 27 Nov 1910. It had a picture of Santa Claus with a bagful of toys at the top of a chimney.
“The Wonders of Toyland to be revealed tomorrow. Santa Claus will again be here to welcome the boys and girls to Macy’s 53rd Toy Celebration. Let the boys and girls revel in this almost unlimited display of toys, dolls, games. The favorite dearly loved kind that never grow old, and thousands of new ones.”
“Let the toys awaken memory in your mind - memory of the days when your parents took you to Macys to see Santa Claus and his fascinating array all spread out for you in Toyland. You will live over your own youthful expeditions to Macy’s in the delight of your children. This advertisement doesn't begin to be large enough to tell you of all the myriad of toys and playthings Santa Claus will have ready for the boys and girls beginning Monday morning. We won't’ attempt, therefore, to even enumerate them and ‘tis unnecessary, for you know all about Macy’s Toyland. You also know that Macy’s prices for toys, as well as anything else, are always lowest.”
“See our splendid window display of all kinds of toys on the 34th St. side and then take an elevator or escalator to Toyland on the fifth floor.”
With the onset of the World War followed by the Spanish Flu, department store Christmas advertisements were a bit subdued. By 1921, the Macy ads were evolving and taking up more newspaper space. That year, they had a full page ad focused more on gifts for all ages. There was one column in the ad with pictures titled Bobby and Betty in Wonderland!
“When they come to the Dolls, Bobby looks to the ceiling and twirls his hat in unconcern. Bobbie (sic) loves the Trains and Airplanes. He is going to be an engineer some day. Betty is concerned with the set of her bonnet. They both adore the Circus, the Tumbling Animals, the Funny Face Family and the Wooden Toys. And oh the joy of the Skudder Cars and the flying Autos! It doesn’t take Santa long to make up his mind about what Bob and Betty want for Christmas. - Macy’s - Wonderland, Fifth Floor.”[8]
Macy’s First Thanksgiving Day Parade
Then in 1924, taking their cue from a successful Pennsylvania department store children's parade which opened the holiday shopping season and featured Mother Goose, Macy’s department store announced the day before Thanksgiving that there was to be a Christmas parade through the streets of Manhattan. It would end at 34th Street to mark the official unveiling of their 75 foot long “Fairyfolk Frolics in Wondertown” window display. The parade would feature circus performers such as bareback riders, camels, grizzly bears, elephants, bands, cowboys, cowgirls, and clowns. In addition, there were to be floats with Mother Goose and other characters from nursery rhymes. Santa and his reindeer would be on a mound of ice.[9]
Paid professionals and the time and talents of the Macy employees helped make this event happen. One employee who worked in the circus before, shared his knowledge in organizing the circus. There was an employee jazz band and an employee clown band mixed in with military bands. The parade started at 145th Street and Convent Avenue at 9 a.m. By noon it was at the review stand located at Broadway and 24th Street. When the parade ended at Macy’s, Santa Claus was crowned and the animated marionettes in the window display were unveiled to all those who were there. The first annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was a success!
[1] “Fairhaven,” The Rutland Weekly Herald and Globe (Rutland, Vermont), 6 Jan 1887, pg. 8,col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[2] “Chester South Street,” The Vermont Tribune (Ludlow, Vermont), 2 Mar 1888, pg 3, col. 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[3] “Young America Remembered,” Effingham Republic (Effingham, Illinois), 22 May 1896, pg. 5, col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[4] “Line of Parade for Gentry Brothers Show,” The Charlotte News (Charlotte, North Carolina), 8 Sep 1909, pg. 6, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[5] Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org) “Rowland Hussey Macy,” rev. 17:38 (UTC), 30 March 2023.
[6] “Extra! Extra!! Extra Raid On Santa Claus,” The New York Times (New York, New York), 9 Dec 1862, pg. 3 col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[7] “Open Evenings,” The New York Times (New York, New York), 9 Dec 1872, pg. 3, col. 7; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[8] “Macy’s - The Store Endorsed by Santa Claus,” New York Herald (New York, New York) 11 Dec 1921, pg. 24; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[9] “Macy Christmas Parade Big Thanksgiving Day Feature,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), 26 Nov 1924, pg.9, col 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
Did you ever wonder how this Thanksgiving Day parade tradition got started? Let’s go back in time to see how Mother Goose and R.H. Macy & Co. helped shape the beginning of what is an almost 100 year old tradition in New York City.
Mother Goose Parades
Mother Goose parades have been around since the 1800s. Early on, these community events were often put on by the children.
“Saturday evening almost 200 of our citizens gathered at the opera house to see The Mother Goose parade by about 49 Sunday school children of the First Congregational church. The children under the direction of Mrs. M. H. Vail appeared in full costumes and marched around the hall for half an hour singing Mother Goose melodies.”[1]
“The program closed with a ‘Mother Goose Parade,’ in which the entire school participated. The garrets for miles around had been ransacked, and all the freaks of fashion within the past centuries appeared to crop out, amid the old-time sayings and homely rhymes of ‘Mother Goose.’”[2]
It wasn’t long before someone realized that, if done correctly, The Mother Goose Parade could draw parents and children away from their daily home life and provide amusement for a price. It soon became part of some traveling circus attractions.
“The Mother Goose parade, fairyland pageants and romantic spectacles will also dazzlingly entrance the young eyes for which they are specially intended. And nothing is anywhere introduced to mar the high character of the entertainment.”[3]
“At 10:30 o’clock next Monday morning Gentry Brothers' famous shows, which are always received with delight by the citizens of Charlotte, will open their engagement here with their famous ‘Mother Goose’ parade.”[4]
R.H. Macy & Company
In 1858, after unsuccessfully running a retail store in Massachusetts, R.H. Macy took his ideas and started a retail store at 6th Avenue in New York City.[5] He made good use of advertising when he placed a December 1862 advertisement in the New York Times.
“R.H. Macy having made a raid on the dominions of Santa Claus, and captured his entire budget of effects, is now displaying to the ladies, gentlemen and children of New York and vicinity an endless variety of holiday goods, toys, fancy goods, embroideries…”[6]
Macy continued to use newspapers for advertising his retail goods especially in December. In 1872, Macy advertised that “Santa Claus has given special directions that our establishment will remain open evening until Christmas for the special benefit of his numerous patrons.”[7]
R. H. Macy died in 1877 but the store remained in the family until 1895 when it was sold to two brothers, Nathan and Isadore Strauss. The Strauss brother’s kept the name but moved the store in the early 1900s to 34th Street. Macy’s ran a Christmas advertisement for their 53rd annual toy celebration on Sunday, 27 Nov 1910. It had a picture of Santa Claus with a bagful of toys at the top of a chimney.
“The Wonders of Toyland to be revealed tomorrow. Santa Claus will again be here to welcome the boys and girls to Macy’s 53rd Toy Celebration. Let the boys and girls revel in this almost unlimited display of toys, dolls, games. The favorite dearly loved kind that never grow old, and thousands of new ones.”
“Let the toys awaken memory in your mind - memory of the days when your parents took you to Macys to see Santa Claus and his fascinating array all spread out for you in Toyland. You will live over your own youthful expeditions to Macy’s in the delight of your children. This advertisement doesn't begin to be large enough to tell you of all the myriad of toys and playthings Santa Claus will have ready for the boys and girls beginning Monday morning. We won't’ attempt, therefore, to even enumerate them and ‘tis unnecessary, for you know all about Macy’s Toyland. You also know that Macy’s prices for toys, as well as anything else, are always lowest.”
“See our splendid window display of all kinds of toys on the 34th St. side and then take an elevator or escalator to Toyland on the fifth floor.”
With the onset of the World War followed by the Spanish Flu, department store Christmas advertisements were a bit subdued. By 1921, the Macy ads were evolving and taking up more newspaper space. That year, they had a full page ad focused more on gifts for all ages. There was one column in the ad with pictures titled Bobby and Betty in Wonderland!
“When they come to the Dolls, Bobby looks to the ceiling and twirls his hat in unconcern. Bobbie (sic) loves the Trains and Airplanes. He is going to be an engineer some day. Betty is concerned with the set of her bonnet. They both adore the Circus, the Tumbling Animals, the Funny Face Family and the Wooden Toys. And oh the joy of the Skudder Cars and the flying Autos! It doesn’t take Santa long to make up his mind about what Bob and Betty want for Christmas. - Macy’s - Wonderland, Fifth Floor.”[8]
Macy’s First Thanksgiving Day Parade
Then in 1924, taking their cue from a successful Pennsylvania department store children's parade which opened the holiday shopping season and featured Mother Goose, Macy’s department store announced the day before Thanksgiving that there was to be a Christmas parade through the streets of Manhattan. It would end at 34th Street to mark the official unveiling of their 75 foot long “Fairyfolk Frolics in Wondertown” window display. The parade would feature circus performers such as bareback riders, camels, grizzly bears, elephants, bands, cowboys, cowgirls, and clowns. In addition, there were to be floats with Mother Goose and other characters from nursery rhymes. Santa and his reindeer would be on a mound of ice.[9]
Paid professionals and the time and talents of the Macy employees helped make this event happen. One employee who worked in the circus before, shared his knowledge in organizing the circus. There was an employee jazz band and an employee clown band mixed in with military bands. The parade started at 145th Street and Convent Avenue at 9 a.m. By noon it was at the review stand located at Broadway and 24th Street. When the parade ended at Macy’s, Santa Claus was crowned and the animated marionettes in the window display were unveiled to all those who were there. The first annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was a success!
[1] “Fairhaven,” The Rutland Weekly Herald and Globe (Rutland, Vermont), 6 Jan 1887, pg. 8,col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[2] “Chester South Street,” The Vermont Tribune (Ludlow, Vermont), 2 Mar 1888, pg 3, col. 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[3] “Young America Remembered,” Effingham Republic (Effingham, Illinois), 22 May 1896, pg. 5, col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[4] “Line of Parade for Gentry Brothers Show,” The Charlotte News (Charlotte, North Carolina), 8 Sep 1909, pg. 6, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[5] Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org) “Rowland Hussey Macy,” rev. 17:38 (UTC), 30 March 2023.
[6] “Extra! Extra!! Extra Raid On Santa Claus,” The New York Times (New York, New York), 9 Dec 1862, pg. 3 col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[7] “Open Evenings,” The New York Times (New York, New York), 9 Dec 1872, pg. 3, col. 7; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[8] “Macy’s - The Store Endorsed by Santa Claus,” New York Herald (New York, New York) 11 Dec 1921, pg. 24; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
[9] “Macy Christmas Parade Big Thanksgiving Day Feature,” The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), 26 Nov 1924, pg.9, col 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 May 2023).
