Thanksgiving 2020 - History, Meaning, Quotes, Message, Food

But I wanted to talk about the differences between American Thanksgiving and Canadian Thanksgiving. So as you may know both Canadian and American Thanksgiving they look pretty similar but there are a lot of differences.

The most obvious difference is when they're celebrated. In the US Thanksgiving is on the 4th Thursday of November and it's usually celebrated on that Thursday while in Canada. It's on the second Monday of October.

And sometimes it's celebrated on that Monday but it could also be celebrated on the Saturday or Sunday of that long weekend. And interestingly the second Monday of October is also a holiday in the US but it's Columbus Day.

Now over in the US Thanksgiving on Thursday is a public holiday but Friday is kind of state by state although most people get the Friday off as well so it's generally a four day weekend.

While in Canada Monday is the public holiday and it's not national there are actually four Atlantic provinces that do not have Thanksgiving as a statutory holiday.

And as a bit of a side note in Quebec while it is a statutory holiday there it's not as commonly celebrated as it is in the rest of the country because in the US they get that Friday off or at least most people get that Friday off.

And because of some past traditions, Black Friday is a big part of Thanksgiving weekend where things go on sale and it's a huge shopping day in the year getting ready for Christmas.

On the day after Thanksgiving but in Canada Thanksgiving is on a Monday so there's no Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving. However on American Black Friday.

There are a lot of stores in Canada that will do Black Friday sales but it's not a holiday for us or a day off and the sales aren't quite as good or as intense as they are in the US.

So even though they're on different days and different months the way Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving looks really similar.

It's a gathering or meal usually with your family. There's always turkey and pumpkin pie. They look really similar.

Thanksgiving Football Playing

Football is something that both country's holiday shares. In Canada, the CFL the Canadian Football League puts on a doubleheader called The Thanksgiving Day Classic.

And I would say it's not quite as big of a deal as football is in U.S thanksgiving. But it still exists and in the US the tradition of having football games held on Thanksgiving Day dates way back to the 19th century.

Today you'll still see professional football games on TV on Thanksgiving Day. You'll even see high school football games being held on Thanksgiving and families just going out in their backyards or to a park and playing football games before or after Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Day Parades

Another tradition that both countries share is the Thanksgiving Day parades. So in the US, it's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which has been around since 1924 and happens in New York.

And it's huge averaging over 24 million viewers which is a little over 7% of the US population and in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade you'll see a lot of famous names or famous people like musicians or actors and actresses.

You'll see renditions and Broadway shows that are on right now and a lot of marching bands and huge floats. It's a really big deal and a lot of families watch this together on Thanksgiving morning followed by the dog show.

And Canada has a parade to the Kitchener Waterloo October Fest puts on the Thanksgiving Day parade and I would say that it's not as grandiose or as big of a deal or even as popular as the parade is in the US but it's still a Thanksgiving Day Parade and in 2017.

It was estimated at its peak to have about a million viewers which would be under 3 percent of the Canadian population. So other than one being on a Thursday the other being on a Monday and one being in November the other being in October they seem pretty similar.

Historical Difference

Are we celebrating the same thing? They are both built around a harvest celebration but the histories of the two Thanksgivings are totally different and one is a bit more complicated than the other one in the US.

When we talk about where Thanksgiving originates we're talking about one specific event that everyone knows about but in Canada, there's not really one specific event that we see as the origin of Thanksgiving.

But there are two events that are probably the most likely. So the first most likely origin of Thanksgiving in Canada happened in 1578.

During the third expedition to find the Northwest Passage when the group of ships they were separated because of its really bad weather and ice. But in August they finally reunited in what's now.

None of it and to give thanks to God for reuniting them. This group of people gathered for a communal meal but they never actually found the Northwest Passage or created a successful settlement here.

The second most likely origin was in 1606 when settlers of what is now Nova Scotia. They had a really rough winter and they had a lot of deaths in their community mostly due to scurvy so they wanted to raise spirits and they created something called the Order of good cheer.

Where through the next winter they got together weekly for a communal feast and they even invited their McMath neighbors apologies because I know I'm probably pronouncing that wrong but those were the indigenous people in the area and then after the first winter they made it an annual tradition to have a communal feast.

Now heading south of the border and a few years later and 1620. The pilgrims made it over on the Mayflower and set up a colony. And in 1621 one to celebrate their first successful harvest they held a three-day gathering.

A communal feast. And this three-day feast was also attended by about 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe. Apologies. I am also pronouncing that one incorrectly I'm sure.

But these were the native people in that area and they actually outnumber the number of pilgrims there were roughly about 50 pilgrims. And we don't actually know when this three-day feast was even held.

But it was most likely somewhere between the end of September and mid-November most likely being in October which is interesting when Canadian Thanksgiving is now celebrated.

The same is true for both countries and that the origins did not lead to a yearly and annual Thanksgiving that's been held ever since the very first Thanksgiving in Canada. Thanksgiving didn't really start solidifying as a tradition until 1763 when the British took over.

But even then the reasons and the dates for celebration changed and it was different in different regions and in the US it was even a little bit later in the 18th century when a few presidents would name Thanksgiving days on certain years.

But these days were at different times and it wasn't an annual tradition. And then later on in the 19th century, it was state governors that would start naming Thanksgiving days.

And it wasn't until the 18th thirties that Americans even started looking at that first three-day feast between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans as the first Thanksgiving. The U.S. was the first of the two to actually make Thanksgiving an official annual holiday.

This happened in 1863 under Lincoln who named it as kind of a celebration of civil war victories but as happened annually ever since that first official Thanksgiving was held on the last Thursday of November and has been held on that date ever since.

Although at one point it did switch from last Thursday of November to the fourth Thursday of November because there are some Novembers that have five Thursdays and Canada was only 15 years behind at making Thanksgiving an official holiday with the first official Thanksgiving being on November 6th, 1879.

And the date originally bounced back and forth between October and November. And the government would use Thanksgiving as a way to celebrate different things each year like maybe a harvest or a special anniversary. And it finally stopped bouncing around in 1957 when Parliament decided on a date and a reason for the celebration which was the second Monday of October.

And to thank God for the harvest that Canada had that year in both countries the dates of Thanksgiving throughout history changed. Both had some in November and October the US's first thanksgiving was most likely in October. Canada's first official Thanksgiving was definitely in November.

Why did Canada land on the second Monday in October and the US landed on the fourth Thursday of November?

We can't be 100 percent sure here but some people think that in Canada because it's a colder climate. Harvest happens a bit earlier which is why we would be harvesting and celebrating in October.

But another reason might be Remembrance Day which is a holiday in Canada held in November so it's just a way to put a separation between the two of those in the US.

It's the end of November just because that's the first date that Abraham Lincoln named it an official holiday and we followed that tradition ever since.

Now neither of these countries invented the idea of having a harvest celebration and they aren't even the only two countries in the world that celebrate something like a Thanksgiving.

But because the two countries are so close together in proximity it's interesting to look at the differences and the similarities between the two.

So as a bit of a recap the origin of Thanksgiving in Canada was either in 1578 when a bunch of explorers got together to thank God that they didn't all die or in 16 0 6 when a bunch of settlers got together to raise their spirits because so many of them were dying an American Thanksgiving originated in 1621 when the Mayflower pilgrims got together to celebrate their first successful harvest in the new land.

The Americans made it an official holiday first in 1863 and the Canadians made it an official holiday in 1879. In the US Thanksgiving is held on the fourth Thursday of November while in Canada it's held on the second Monday of October.

Well like other holidays I would say that Thanksgiving is celebrated a bit bigger and a bit more grandiose in the US. That's probably helped a bit by Americans getting a four day weekend and most Americans celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday.

While Canadians get a three day weekend and because it's a Monday they often celebrated on Saturday or Sunday so it's not even held on the same day for everybody. But even if it is generally a bit bigger in the US the two celebrations do look really similar.

They're both families getting together over a big meal consisting of similar types of food and football and parades exist in both holidays so there are a lot of details I can cover. But those are the highlights of the differences and similarities between American and Canadian Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoyed it. 

But why did Franklin D. Roosevelt try to change the date of Thanksgiving?

Why should you stay away from characters with hats in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? 

Why would you make a pie out of pumpkins? 

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in various states in various countries including but not limited to the United States, Canada, Liberia, and several of the Caribbean islands. For the purposes of this article, we're going to be focusing on American Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving began as a day of giving thanks. I know it for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Today, it's an occasion to spend time with family and loved ones and to be appreciative of all the good things in life like stuffing and mayonnaise. 

In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This means that Thanksgiving can occur as early as the 22nd of November and as late as the twenty-eighth 

The modern celebration of Thanksgiving in the US usually involves a large meal known as Thanksgiving dinner. Not very imaginative names. Either way, which features a large roasted turkey, serve the variety of side dishes, including mashed potato stuffing and cranberry sauce. 

The common Thanksgiving traditions include attending or watching parades, giving to charity, and watching American football and Thanksgiving specials on TV as the Good Lord intended.

while prayers and celebrations are giving thanks exist in virtually all religions and cultures. The history of Thanksgiving in North America is rooted in English traditions of giving thanks dating back to the Protestant Reformation, in which critics of the Catholic Church broke off to form their own Christian denominations. 

Some of these groups wanted to replace most of or all the traditional religious holidays with days of fasting and days of Thanksgiving. Days of fasting would be held in response to events perceived to indicate God's disapproval, whereas days of Thanksgiving would celebrate events perceived to indicate God's favor and mercy 

The story of Thanksgiving begins in the year 16 20, when a group of 102 English settlers, now known as the Pilgrims, traveled to America on the Mayflower and established the Plymouth Colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This was the second successful permanent settlement by the Europeans in what is now the United States following the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, and 67. 

Soon after they arrived, the settlers were taught how to catch eels and grow corn for the local Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, contributing to the success of the colony.

The following year and 16 21, the pilgrims celebrated their bountiful harvest with an enormous feast held in early autumn in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and celebrated together by the pilgrims and the Native Americans. This is commonly recognized as the first-ever Thanksgiving.

It's believed that this first Thanksgiving was attended by 50 pilgrims, just over half the settlers reaching America. In fact, some historians believe that as few as only five women were present at that first Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was also attended by roughly 90 Wampanoag Indians. It was a proper old knee up.

Unlike today's traditional Thanksgiving dinner, the very first Thanksgiving dinner did not feature Turkey as a main cooked Avión. The first Thanksgiving dinner was probably centered around a cooked duck, goose. 

There were also no forks for the very first Thanksgiving. Folks didn't become a popular utensil until the 18th century, and as such, the first Thanksgiving dinner was likely consumed using spoons, knives, and hopefully washed hands. 

On the 3rd of October 1789, the first president of the United States, George Washington, declared the twenty-sixth in November 1789 as a National Day of Thanksgiving and prayer, constituting the first formal proclamation of Thanksgiving.

After Washington left office, other presidents like John Adams and James Madison also declared days of Thanksgiving. However, several early U.S. presidents actively disapproved of National Thanksgiving Day, such as Thomas Jefferson, who is thought to oppose the holiday based on the belief that such a proclamation would violate the separation of church and state. On one occasion, Jefferson condemned the idea of a federal Thanksgiving proclamation as the most ridiculous idea ever conceived.

Thanksgiving was made an official federal holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, right in the middle of the American Civil War. Abe Lincoln proclaimed that on the 26th of November, the final Thursday of the month, there would be a national day of. 

Thanksgiving and praise to our benefit and father who dwelleth in the heavens. You can't prove that's not what he sounded like by the White House. Good impression. And Jefferson wasn't kidding about the whole separation of church and state. 

Lincoln was prompted to make Thanksgiving official by the actions of a magazine editor named Sarah Christopher Hale, who passionately believe that the National Day of Thanksgiving with the United Nation careering toward civil war after an incredible 17 years of campaigning and writing letters, President Lincoln finally made Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Amazingly, the woman who made Thanksgiving official has another interesting claim to fame. As Hale also wrote the popular nursery rhyme, Mary had a little lamb.

In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to change the date of Thanksgiving from the last Thursday of November to the second to last in an attempt to stimulate the economy during the Great Depression by giving more people time to shop at Christmas. 

Unfortunately, however, the change of date caused a lot of confusion. Most states held Thanksgiving on its original date, and three states Colorado, Mississippi, and Texas celebrated the holiday on both weeks.

The result in public outcry caused by Roosevelt's date change was. So profound that many people mockingly referred to the Thanksgiving date as Franks giving. After only two years, the U.S. government abandoned the new policy and set the fourth Thursday, November as the legal date of Thanksgiving 

As the story goes, friendly, local Native Americans taught the struggling colonists how to survive in the new world, then everyone got together to celebrate with a feast and sixteen, twenty-one. The attendees included at least 90 men from the Wampanoag tribe and the 50 or so surviving Mayflower passengers, according to time. 

The battle lasted three days and featured a menu consisting of deer, fowl, and corn, according to the Smithsonian magazine. In reality, the Thanksgiving feast predates Plymouth. You can even find a number of localities that have fought to claim the first Thanksgiving for themselves. Settlers and Berkely Hundred in Virginia decided to celebrate their arrival with an annual Thanksgiving back and 1619, according to the Virginia Pilot.

Although the Washingtonian reported that the meal was probably little more than some oysters and ham threw together. However, decades before then, Spanish settlers and members of the Savoy tribe broke bread with salted pork, garbanzo beans, and a mass in 1565 Florida, according to the National Park Service. 

In today's time, our modern definition of Thanksgiving revolves around eating turkey, but in past centuries, it was more of an occasion for religious observance. This story is 1621 Plimoth festivities live on in popular memory. 

But the pilgrims themselves would have likely considered their sober 1623 days of prayer, the first real Thanksgiving, according to the blog of the history of Massachusetts. 

Others have pinpointed 1637 as the true origin of Thanksgiving owing to the fact that Massachusetts Colonie Governor John Withdraw declared the day of Thanksgiving to celebrate colonial soldiers who had just slaughtered 700 Pequot men, women, and children in what is now called Mystic Connecticut. 

Regardless, though, the popular story of the initial Harvest Festival is what has continued to live on. Thanks to the late Abraham Lincoln, the enduring holiday and celebration have almost entirely wiped the memory of what really happened between the Wampanoag and the English a whole generation later, 

Massasoit to the same more paramount chief of the Wampanoag proved to be a crucial ally to the English settlers.

In the years following the establishment of Plymouth, he arranged an exclusive trade agreement with the newcomers and allied with them against the French and other local tribes, such as the Narragansett and Massachusetts. 

However, over time, the alliance became strained. Thousands of English colonists swarmed into the region throughout the 17th century, according to historic contact. Indian people and colonists in today's northeastern the United States, authorities in Plymouth began asserting control over most aspects of Wampanoag life as settlers increasingly ate up more land. 

The Gloater Hulamin Institute of American History estimated disease had already reduced the Native American population in New England by as much as 90% from 1616 to 1619. And indigenous people continue to die from what the colonists called Indian fever. 

By the time Massasoit Son Medicament, known to the English as King Phillip, inherited the leadership relations had become strained. King Philip's war was ignited when several medicaments men were executed for the murder of Punker Boag interpreter and Christian convert John Sesemann. 

Wampanoag lawyers responded by embarking on a series of raids and the New England Confederation of Colonies declared war in sixteen seventy-five. The initial neutral colony of Rhode Island in the Providence Plantations was ultimately dragged into the fighting, as were other nearby tribes like the Narragansetts. The war was filled with bloodshed and was devastating.

Springfield, Massachusetts, was burned to the ground. The Wampanoag abducted colonists for ransom. English forces had attacked the Narragansetts on a bitter frozen swamp for harboring fleeing Wampanoag 600 Narragansets were murdered and the tribe's winter stores were ruined. 

According to Atlas Obscura, colonists in far-flung settlements moved to more fortified areas. While the Wampanoag and the allied tribes were forced to leave their villages. The colonists ultimately allied themselves with several tribes, such as the Mohegans and Pequod, despite initial reluctance from the Plimoth leadership. 

Meanwhile, meta-comment was dealt with a shocking blow when he crossed over into New York to recruit new allies. Instead, he was rebuffed and attacked by Mohawk's. Upon his return to his ancestral home at Mount Hope, he was shot and killed in a final battle. The son of the man who had sustained and celebrated with the Plymouth colony was then beheaded and his body dismembered. 

His remaining allies were then murdered or sold into slavery. In the West Indies, the colonists impaled King Philip's head on a spike and placed it on display in Plymouth for twenty-five years. In an article published in the Historical Journal of Massachusetts, Montclair State University Professor Robert E. Craig Jr. said the war is complete. The death toll could have been as high as 30 percent of the English population and half of the Native Americans in New England.

This war was just one of a series of brutal but dimly remembered early colonial wars between Native Americans and colonists that occurred in New England, New York, and Virginia. Popular memory has largely clung to the innocuous image of a harvest celebration while ignoring the deadly forces that would ultimately drive apart from the descendants of the guest of that very feast. 

Modern-day Thanksgiving may be a celebration of people coming together, but that's not the entire story when it comes to the history of that day. Well, the dark history, if you will. I'd like to show some respect for all of the fallen warriors of the past that took part in molding this holiday for what it is today. 

It's truly devastating how many lives were lost in this war. So while you're celebrating this day of feasting with your loved ones and what you're all thankful for, remember, not everything starts off on a happy note, but I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get a chance to eat a lot of good food with your families before we go.

These people were called the Puritans.There were about 100 men women and children who left England and the king and his church. They had a dream of religious freedom.

They failed on a ship. That ship was called the Mayflower. They said all the way to the new world. These brave travelers that we now call the Pilgrims land in Plymouth.

After a journey that lasted about forty five days. The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock On December 11, 1620.

Wow that was a long time ago almost 400 years. The cold snowy winter of the north eastern United States that we know of now where what these pilgrims were introduced to This new land was strange to them. Nothing seemed familiar. 

And many of the pilgrims are still This new world. Their winter was long called a heavy heart for the pilgrims. I should have worn a bigger jacket. 

Luckily Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by giving him seeds and food. The Native Americans started to teach the Pilgrims about their new home. They also gave the pilgrims the skills needed to survive in the strange new land. 

That first year in their new home was very hard for the pilgrims. However with the seeds and plants given to them from the Native Americans the Pilgrims planted crops in that fall. The Pilgrims harvest was so good and they had much food to share. 

To celebrate the crops and the help from the Native Americans. The Pilgrims had a feast of Thanksgiving many different foods were cooked for the Feast, Ducks, Geese, fish and venison which is deer meat was served along with fish, pumpkins, squash, corn, sweet potatoes and cranberries.

There was actually no turkey. Served on that very first Thanksgiving believe it or not. And yes pumpkins were at the feast but not pumpkin pie and no cranberry sauce as well. Just cranberries with some other fruits. 

Captain Myles Standish who was the leader of the Pilgrims decided to invite all of the Native Americans who had helped them so much during their first year. 

Everyone had such a great time celebrating this feast together. It lasted for three days. Your mama. This feast from the harvest in 1621 is often called the first stink skipping. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by President George Washington. 

In 1789 over the years the day we now celebrate as Thanksgiving became an important tradition in the United States a day of giving thanks for all that we have.

But this may not have happened if it wasn't for Sarah Josepha Hale that she wrote Mary Had a Little Lamb. The song actually has absolutely zero to do with Thanksgiving. I just really like lamps.

That's right Quinn. Besides writing the song Mary Had a Little Lamb. Sarah also convinced President Lincoln in 1863 to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. 

After writing letters for 17 years campaigning for this to happen. Abraham Lincoln declared that the last Thursday in November should be celebrated as Thanksgiving because it has been celebrated every year in the United States. 

Thanksgiving was finally made an official federal holiday and moved to the fourth Thursday of November in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Almost 90 percent of Americans eat Turkey on Thanksgiving each year. Wow. That's a lot of turkey

About 46 million turkeys are eaten every thanksgiving day. 

But for almost 70 years the current president of the United States has chosen one lucky turkey to not be chosen for Thanksgiving and that Turkey will live on the farm until it passes away of old age.

 Have you ever had a TV dinner or microwave arable dinner. Well did you know that Thanksgiving is the reason that these were invented. 

See in 1953 the company Swanson had so much left over turkey over two hundred and sixty tons that someone from the company had the idea to package the leftover turkey onto aluminum trays and include some other sides like sweet potatoes. 

The company decided this was a great idea and that's how TV dinners were born. And for our final fact about Thanksgiving. 

Do you know what balloon character has been on more Macy's Day Thanksgiving parade than any other. Leave your guests in the comments below. And let's see if you're right. The answer is. Snoopy.

There are a few characters in this world more iconic than Pikachu from Pokemon. Ever since the franchise began, Pikachu has been on top of the world from plushest to clothing to ice cream. You simply can't escape this guy. But what's the true way to tell if your character is iconic, whether or not they make an appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Thanksgiving, a time for friends, family, and reminiscing on the time you saw Chicken Little as a celebratory Thanksgiving Day balloon. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an American tradition dating all the way back to 1924. And one of the main selling points of the parade is that most of its balloons are made up of famous or recognizable characters.

These balloons are drawn millions upon millions of viewers every year, and they're really impressive. In the past, I took a look at the history of Sonic the Hedgehog appearances in the parade. While Sonic has been included numerous times, he has nothing on some of the other characters that have become true parade staples.

This year, we'll be taking a look at one of the most often reoccurring faces in the period history. Did you know that Pikachu has appeared in the parade every year for nearly two decades, ever since he was first introduced into the lineup in 2001? He's been in the parade.

Now, that's a testament to Pokemon's popularity. You don't see Jimmy Neutron appearing in the parade for 20 years. With that said, the Pikachu balloon you see today is not the same picture you saw in 2001. He's gone through many changes over those years and several balloons.

And that's what I'll be going over today. In this article, we'll be taking a look at the history of Peka, choose many appearances in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Let's begin.

Pikachu made his first appearance in the parade all the way back in 2001, which coincidentally was the fifth year anniversary of Pokemon and the 75th annual Macy's parade. However, this wasn't Pokemon's first appearance in the parade a year earlier in the 2000 parade, a Pokemon themed Volkswagen Beetle dubbed the Popemobile was present in the parade. This car would be reused and join the parade alongside the balloon in later years. 

Looks like Macy's parade is ready in the universe of video games and kid shows Pokémon rules. This year's parade makes the big catch as Pikachu, the adorable flagship character of the more than 250 character Pokémon universe, becomes a first-time big balloon.

And Matt, furnished by the Pokemon company. What a shock to get used to the loyal companion and best friend of Pokemon trainer Ash through four TV seasons and three movies, Pikachu is always there to lend a helping hand when things get tough.

An interesting fact about this guy is that he's one of the shortest balloons in the parade's history. At only 30 feet tall, 54 handlers carried Pikachu throughout New York City and unlike Sonic, Pikachu, made it through his first year of the parade without any incidents.

The balloon is certainly a memorable design, if not a little uncharacteristic. I think it would have been a great touch for this balloon to have actual balloons attached to Pikachu, as it would have been, just like in the opening of Pokemon Yellow, although, yeah, this would have been unnecessary and would have made the balloon way more expensive.

It was designed to focus exclusively on Pikachu and it does that very well. While he already appeared as a balloon, Pikachu also appeared as a walk around mascot costume on the 75th parade superstar's float. This balloon would be featured in every parade until 2005 when it was retired of Team Rocket.

Those bumbling bad guys show up to cause trouble. Pikachu emits a high voltage thunder shot to send the pranksters flying here in New York. We call that a stun gun. That was going to say, I wish I could do that.

After being retired, the balloon wasn't immediately disposed of. Instead of flying, Pikachu would later be used as a test subject for the 2006 parade. This test flight occurred due to accidents that happened the year prior. However, he wouldn't appear in the actual parade that year.

On August 8th, 2006, a Pokemon 10th-anniversary party was held at Bryant Park in New York City. Dubbed the Party of the Decade Flying, Pikachu was on display at the event flying. Pikachu made one last appearance at the now-defunct exhibit Balloon Toplice at Universal Orlando Resort, where he was on display alongside characters such as Scooby-Doo and Garfield. This exhibit was made to give audiences an inside look at the production of Macy's parades. After the exhibit closed, flying Pikachu never publicly flew again.

It's unknown whether or not the balloon still exists, but even if he's no longer with us with an appearance like that, he's certainly unforgettable.

The morning of flying, Pikachu was short-lived, as, in the 2006 parade, a brand new Pikachu balloon was introduced to take his place when a character appears multiple times in the parade. It's not uncommon for them to get redesigned like this. This one, dubbed the Pikachu with a packable balloon, is a much more fitting design for the character and the Pokemon brand as a whole.

It depicts a Pikachu balloon chasing after a separate packable balloon. This new balloon was made not only to celebrate Pokemon its 10th anniversary but also due to its use changing appearance. The flying Pikachu was obviously inspired by the original appearance of Pikachu. But over the years, his luck would be refined. This new balloon reflected the current appearance of the character much better. Also, the packable balloon alone was 14 feet tall, so this was a pretty sizable balloon.

You fly through the air just behind a ball. Most Pokémon live inside one, but he prefers life on the outside, where he can lend a helping hand to his loyal companion. When the going gets tough, you know only one football on TV today. Peekapoos choose electrifying cruising the skies at twice the height of a Tyrannosaurus rex.

Along with its size, the balloon had a light-up feature, the second of its kind in the parade's history, giving Pikachu flushing cheeks. Obviously, Pikachu being in the parade is to promote the Pokemon franchise. And this was clearly shown in 2010 when the balloon was paired with floats that carried huge detailed statues of Graham Russia to promote Pokemon Black and White.

This year also marks Kikuchi's 10th annual appearance in the parade. This balloon was used by the parade from 2006 to 2013. Pikachu chased that Pokemon for seven Parade St. Unfortunately, unlike flying Pikachu, this balloon didn't have quite as perfect of a record. In 2012, for example, Pikachu ears were noticeably deflated and in 2013 the packable was fairly deflated as well.

These were likely nothing more than basic inflating errors as the balloons didn't fall down or anything. So thankfully, no horrible Pikachu accidents occurred while the balloon has been used and shown off at other events besides the parade. He was retired from the period after 2013, being replaced once again.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades are obviously often associated with the holiday season because of this, some balloons are designed with a holiday or Christmas theme in mind. One example is the second balloon of Greg Heffley from The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

His first balloon design was of his standard luck. But in 2016, he was redesigned to not only match the updated style of the books but also to feature Greg in stylish winter gear. In 2014, a brand new holiday-themed Pikachu balloon was introduced. This one may not have the flashing cheeks of his packable brother, but he does have a cute little snowman Pikachu and a green scarf. 

The most famous Pokemon character of all time. Ripshin has an all-new balloon ready for winter. Pikachu wears a red and green scarf and clutches its own snowman Pikachu years prior.

In 2008, the Pokemon Center released a holiday Pikachu plush with a very similar design to the snowman balloon. It seems this look was repurposed years later for this very jolly-looking Pikachu introduction to the world in 1996.

Pokemon has become one of the most successful entertainment brands ever this holiday season. Pokemon with the light players around the world, with the launch of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire Video Games.

I guess this one is pretty evergreen. It should go without saying, but the Macy's parades are huge events with tons of promotion and merchandise backing them up, given his frequent appearances, Pikachu is seen on many of these. For example, the promotional artwork for the 2014 parade showcases that year's Pikachu balloon. 

The absolute best promotional items released for the parades, though, are these annual musical snow globes that feature some of the year's hottest balloon characters. For example, Sonic is in the 2012 globe and Goku is in the 2019 globe.

Let me just say Pikachu was featured on some pretty stacked snow globes. The 2002 one had him flying alongside Jimmy Neutron and 2007 had Shrek. There's official merchandise that has Pikachu on it that also has Shrek flying. Pikachu is found in 2002 one and the redesigned 2006 balloon is in 2007 one. Even Pikachu spoke about sculpted here.

Unfortunately, the 2014 balloon has yet to be featured on any snow globe. The fact that Pikachu has been featured in two of these just goes to show how popular of a character he is. Every year, the parade showcases dozens of iconic characters, but only a select few get to be in these globes, let alone two of them. These have incredible detailing for something so small.

They're wonderful time capsules for the parades and make for great collectibles. Well, we all know about these parades, have you ever wondered about the actual production of these balloons? I mean, these things are huge and are usually really well designed.

How do they all come together?

Thankfully, Macy's has actually shared plenty of info regarding that and they've shared photos of their facilities and plenty of incentive for those interested in this. To simplify it, the balloons start as a simple sketch. And once the sketch is approved, a model was produced based on it.

This model is often a physical figure that his hand-sculpted and painted so the designers can see how the balloon looks at all angles, making sure everything checks out. These models are then referenced by the balloon pattern designers and then the funnel balloon is produced. When I first learned about these physical models, though, they really captured my interest.

Thankfully, plenty of photos of these models have been released publicly. Here's a look at the model flying Pikachu. Imagine seeing this in person, a model that would later become such a memorable addition to the parade. That's pretty incredible. Here's the one for the Pikachu with a packable balloon. And here's the holiday Pikachu balloon.

Unfortunately, these models have never been mass-produced for sale and are solely internal items made for the balloon designer's reference. Wouldn't it be amazing if they made a lot of figures based off of these? They could reproduce models for some of the most iconic balloons from over the years, maybe for the 100th anniversary or something?

If novelty ice cream bar with Gumby figures can be a thing, surely parade balloon figures have an audience to. And there you have it to look at pictures history in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I think it's pretty clear that Pikachu is one of the parade's most prolific characters at this point.

I mean, nearly 20 consecutive years in the parade. That's pretty impressive. Not that it's a surprise given Pokemon's popularity, but still, do any of you have many fond memories of seeing Pikachu in the parades over the years? I know I do. I think the most fascinating thing about these balloons is that they represent how much Pikachu and Pokemon have changed over the years.

On the surface level, the flying Pikachu is clearly based off of Kikuchi's original chubbier design. But besides that stuff like the holiday Pikachu balloon remind me of how commercial Pikachu is nowadays with endless merchandise, dressing him up in different outfits and whatnot.

These balloons are a really great look at the evolution of the character and Pokemon in general. Two decades, three balloons, and countless memories made. I have no doubt in my mind that we will, but I hope to see Pikachu in the parade for many years to come.

The first Thanksgiving American schools generally teach a traditional story about the meeting of pilgrims and Indians that finished with a tremendous dinner end. But there's more to the story.

At the beginning of the 17th century. Southern geographical area was home to a spread of busy communities within several confederations. These were the people of the primary light and that they called their home the dawn land. Political leaders were referred to as such hymns and had been trading with Europeans for over 100 years before the Pilgrims.

Relations soured only after deceitful Europeans kidnap locals to sell us, slaves, permanent European settlement was impossible thanks to the already high population of native occupants. But in 16 sixteen tradesmen introduced a disease to the dawn land whose inhabitants died in droves from an absence of immunity.

In three years up to 90 percent were tired in several confederations including the Wampanoag their head such a muscle so it had been tuned in to how close they were to being subjugated by their unaffiliated enemy. Not on Gaza. He was firm to avoid wasting his people from such a fate. This was the political world the pilgrims were on the point of entry.

The Pilgrims weren't called pilgrims by their contemporaries. They were called separatists a branch of the English Puritans. King James hated Puritans and commenced persecuting them in 16 0 4 that the separatists fled to Holland where they absolved to worship but because they feared losing their national and community identity the congregation wanted a replacement place to plant their church.

They selected America and asked King James for a pattern that may grant them the right to make a colony. They conceive to make a profit catching fish to pay off the debts to their investors. The Mayflower set sail on September 6th. Two months later Cape Cod was spotted and 16 men were sent to shore to examine the realm.

Unfortunately, the settlers didn't know the way to fish and food was running out. They resorted to stealing from Graves's homes and storage pits to stay everyone alive. Then came their first hostile encounter with media but nobody was killed. On December 12th they reached New Plymouth. They didn't land on any specific rock but folklore insists they did.

Construction began in January by winter's end. Forty-four settlers would be dead from bad conditions in March. They were surprised when a person named Somerset walked into New Plymouth greeting them in English. He told them they were building on top of a village called Patuxent whose residents had all died from the recent epidemic. It belonged to the Wampanoag and their chief muscle so it had been watching the settlers were wanting to trade.

So five days later Somerset returned with furs and companions including two Squanto known famously as Squanto. He had come to inform them in perfect English that has got to decide had arrived after years of managing Englishmen. The satchel failed to trust the newcomers.

My sister walked into New Plymouth and was regally greeted by the governor. A pacification was created ensuring mutual protection if attacked by enemies With the assistance of Squanto. New Plymouth settlers began to fare better. He taught them the way to grow crops and was absolutely vital as an interpreter to the separatists.

He was a present from God but after all, Squanto had been kidnapped took set in sixteen fourteen, and shipped to Spain to be sold into slavery. He ended up in London at the house of a merchant who taught him English and arranged for Squanto was returned to the dawn land in 16 19. But Patrick said was now gone wiped away by the epidemic.

Moussa Saw it took him in with suspicion thanks to his years abroad but needed a translator to parlay with the newcomers. He eventually sent his worry or hope on the way to live among the settlers and keep a watch on Squanto. By far the settlers had a bountiful harvest and a feast was held to celebrate mass so it showed up with 90 warriors and five deer for the meal for 3 days.

land and Wampanoag eight and entertained each other. This was the famous first Thanksgiving children to be told about in class. However the word Thanksgiving wouldn't are utilized by these settlers to denote a harvest feast for Puritans. A day of Thanksgiving was each day of fasting while giving because of God in prayer. But the story of pilgrims and Indians doesn't end here.

During New Plymouth this first year Squanto had been up to something. Realizing the substantial power because the only English speaker of his people he conceived the decide to overthrow must soil. He persuaded locals he could command a people to form war or peace at his will. Hobo Monk was suspicious of Squanto and warned Governor Bradford in time. they found Squanto his plot so foreign muscle saw it who was furious. 

Bradford refused the interpreter was too valuable to allow up but in keeping with the treaty Squanto his life belonged within the hands of his suction. Bradford finally conceded he was on the point of reach Squanto when an unidentified ship appeared the alarm it calls delayed Bradford and worried must sort envoys angered and impatient.

They left the ship carrying 60 Englishmen going to build a colony near Boston. They abuse the Massachusetts locals initiating a conspiracy to kill the colonists warned about the plot. New Plymouth leaders launched a coup de main to avoid wasting their impudent countrymen. It brought peace for a time.

In that time more Puritan settlers arrived soon outnumbering the native and while the Pilgrims treaty with muscle saw it lasted until the statue's death. Other Puritans weren't concerned with such alliances. Their fanatic religious principles ensured no peace between the 2 cultures could last two Puritans.

Native Americans were the opposite wild savage godless with such an ideology. the end result was inevitable if they didn't convert to Christianity and surrender their cultural identity. that they had to be eliminated. the primary Thanksgiving was a short moment of harmony between the 2 worlds.

But sadly it absolutely was short-lived. The capitalist opportunities the dawn land presented combined with zealous puritanical beliefs were incentive enough to remove the native inhabitants. there's nothing wrong with sharing a feast of thanks with loved ones. But remember truth events that started the vacation and not the fairy tale.