There are few times of the year that call for people to pause, pause, and express gratitude. Thanksgiving is one of them. In 2025, this national holiday, considered by many to be synonymous with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, will be celebrated on Thursday, November 27. It’s a day of sharing, when families and friends come together to reflect, share a special dinner, and enjoy traditions like the Macy’s Parade or watch NFL games.
Today, Thanksgiving is one of the 11 federal holidays in the United States and one of the most anticipated and important dates on the national calendar. For this reason, schools suspend classes and most public institutions and companies close their doors so that their employees can enjoy the holiday.
The origin of Thanksgiving
Children’s stories tell that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and was a three-day festival where Pilgrims and native Wampanoag people shared food to commemorate the colonists’ first successful harvest after a devastating winter. Although this story is part of historical symbolism, Thanksgiving has three key moments that turned it into a national tradition.
The first occurred in 1789, when President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation. In it, he urged the American people to set aside November 26 of that year to express gratitude for the end of the Revolutionary War, the adoption of the Constitution, and the blessings bestowed upon the young nation.
The second moment occurred during the Civil War, in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln officially declared the last Thursday in November a national holiday. This resolution, influenced by writer Sarah Josepha Hale, sought to promote unity in a deeply divided country.
The third event occurred in 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt attempted to advance the date of Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday in November with the goal of extending the Christmas shopping season and stimulating the economy during recovery from the Great Depression. But this measure sparked controversy, and in 1941 Congress decided to definitively set the fourth Thursday of November as the official date for celebrating this holiday.
Messi parade
As is the case every year, in the United States a series of events are held throughout the national territory, including music, parades, and family activities to celebrate Thanksgiving Day In a special way. One of the most symbolic of these appearances is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will celebrate its 99th edition in 2025. This parade is four kilometers long in which floats, bands and giant balloons travel through the streets of New York.
The event starts at 8:30 EST and lasts at least three hours. The tour begins on the west side of Central Park at 77th Street. However, if attendees want a preferential spot, they must arrive in advance. The parade continues down Sixth Avenue to Herald Square at 34th Street, where Macy’s stores are located. The best places to see the allegory are between 60th Street and 70th Street, and around Herald Square (although it’s very crowded at this point).
How to watch the show on TV
NBC’s coverage will begin at 8:30 a.m., with regular commentators Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker. Telemundo will have Spanish-language coverage and Universal will also broadcast the tour. Channels My neighbor Peacock and Fubo announced that viewers will also be able to watch the show through their platforms.
Stars of the show
Attending Cynthia Erivo from evilwho will be responsible for opening the exhibition. Netflix’s Kpop group Demon Hunters will also be participating in the event displays Cast members of Buena Vista Social Clb, Just in Time and Ragtime will also be in attendance. Singers on the list include Ciara, Foreigner, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Busta Rhymes, Mickey Guyton and Teyana.