Macyโs Thanksgiving Day Parade takes flight in virus times
The Boss Baby balloon is deflated as it ends its appearance during the modified Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. The annual parade goes on but only after great changes as compared to previous years due to the current deadly pandemic. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)NEW YORK โ The balloons were in the sky and the marching bands took to the streets for the annual Macyโs Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, but coronavirus restrictions meant it was without the throngs of people usually scrambling for a view. Even with the pandemic protocols, the fact that the parade took place made it a rare festivity in a city that has seen most of its major events cancelled over the last year because of the virus. The parade organizers recognized that reality, including representatives of some of the New York City parades that hadn't been able to happen โ the St. Patrickโs Day Parade, the Mermaid Parade, the Puerto Rican Day Parade and NYC Pride March.
Holiday trends to watch: Adult Play-Doh; stores that ship
(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)NEW YORK โ The pandemic is turning this into a holiday shopping season like no other. And with more people shopping online, stores are doing double duty as shipping centers to try to get gifts to doorsteps as fast as possible. Meanwhile, Best Buy says that 340 of its stores are being specially designated to handle a higher volume of online orders, though all its stores ship e-commerce packages. Its goal: to have the 340 stores ship more than 70% of its ship-from-store units during the holiday quarter. Typically, 25% of holiday shopping is based on impulse, according to Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor at NPD Group, a market research firm.
Santa Claus won't be coming to Macy's this year
FILE - Santa Claus waves during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 28, 2019, in New York. Macy's said Santa Claus won't be greeting kids at its flagship New York store this year due to the coronavirus, interrupting a holiday tradition started nearly 160 years ago. However, Macy's said the jolly old man will still appear at the end of the televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But he will still appear at the end of the televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, the company said. Macy's has been using Santa Claus to draw crowds to its New York store since the early 1860s, calling itself โThe Home of Santa Claus" for decades.