The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade first took place on Thanksgiving Day of 1924. Although the parade took place on Thanksgiving morning, it was originally a Christmas parade that showcased new and expecting sales for the Christmas holiday. That morning, the employees of Macy’s dressed up in costume and walked six miles through Manhattan with animals from the Central Park Zoo to promote the department store. Although it didn’t receive a headline the next day in the New York Times, the parade was a huge hit.

The ginormous balloons in the parade are a staple today, with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, SpongeBob, and various other famous characters filling up the streets of Manhattan. The first balloon to fly in the parade was Felix the Cat in 1927. The parade let it fly up into the sky, only to pop not long after. Then, for a short period, the parade let balloons go with a return address to receive a prize, but it didn’t work out well.

Today, the parade is only two and a half miles, but it has an expanse of people participating in it from marching bands and cheerleaders to celebrities and balloon holders. The parade now presents a big turkey blow-up, but it still features some of the original Christmas ideas.

This awing tradition has been a staple in Manhattan and all American families for nine decades, from starting on the radio to now airing on flat screen TV’s. But Nov. 14, the terrorist group, ISIS, issued a statement calling this parade an “excellent target.” What does this mean for the beloved Thanksgiving Parade?

The threat could be that, just a threat, but given the past year’s terrorist attacks around the world, any threatening words are a matter of life or death. According to NYC Tourist, three and a half million people attend the parade every year, all of whom could be in danger of a possible attack. This is not supposed to be a time of war; this is a tradition of the day where Americans address all they are thankful for, and watch as their favorite characters float past them, on TV or in person. Abbey Schaller, senior, says, “I can’t imagine missing out on the parade.”

Around every corner nowadays, it seems as if there is something to be scared of. World peace has become a dream that simply will not come true anytime soon. As U.S. citizens, people should not have to worry about staying safe in one of the safest countries in the world. The parade will continue on, but with stronger security in case of an emergency. Although this situation is very unfortunate, be thankful for the help, security, and military this Thanksgiving.