by Lenna Gonya

Created on: November 08, 2009   Last Updated: November 16, 2011

Even though many of us do not live in New York, or may have the opportunity to travel there on Thanksgiving, thanks to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV, we always feel  that we are there. And, of course, a lot of us would like to be in Plymouth, where the whole tradition began.  But, when all it said and done, the best, and most important towns, cities, villages or farms to visit on Thanksgiving Day are the ones where you find your home and family. This covers a lot of territory, from the west coast to the east, from the northern edge of the Upper Peninsula to Florida. It's the town where your home is, or your mom's or grandma's. It's not a tourist destination, and might not be very fancy, but it has that familiar smell about it on Thanksgiving morning. There is the aroma of your favorite stuffing and pie, greeting you at the door, a comforting warmth and energy that rushes at you and takes you back to all those other Thanksgiving Days in the past. Warm and cozy, and familiar, you pretty much know what to expect when you walk in the door. Everyone will eat too much, and tell the same family stories over and over. The TV will be tuned to the Macy's Day parade, that you promised yourself you would go to someday, and then to a football game. We all comment on how grand the parade has become, and how cold everyone looks, standing there with the wind blowing down 34th St.

After dinner, the kids disappear to play games, some of the family actually stay awake long enough to watch the rest of the football game, and the remainder of the gang curl up on chairs and couches to sleep off the feast, only rousing long enough to find yet another piece of pie. By the end of the day, everyone is as stuffed and groggy as bears going into hibernation, and happy that they could get together another year. There are enough leftovers to keep us all eating for another week, and we complain and vow never to overeat again.

To New Yorkers, the Macy's parade is a must see event that has lasted for generations. I'm sure it wouldn't seem right to them not to be there. It's home. And, to a lot of us, it's an important part of Thanksgiving Day, that we share from our own homes and our own communities as well. So, other than home, I would have to say that I think New York is the most fun to visit at Thanksgiving, and my family does it every year.

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