Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Will Feature Three New Balloons

Thanksgiving is next week.  Can you believe it?  If you're going to be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, keep your eyes open for three new balloons making their parade debut this year.

The 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade gets underway Thanksgiving morning at 8am.  New this year, Hello Kitty, Papa Smurf and The Elf on The Shelf.  The Hello Kitty balloon features Hello Kitty in a retro airplane.  Papa Smurf will be dancing and the Elf on The Shelf is a 64 foot long balloon.  According the New York Post, each balloon takes about a year to put together.  Getting Hello Kitty's bow just right and making Papa Smurf's legs look like they were dancing were a challenge this year.  Balloon designer John Piper tells the Post the payoff is seeing millions of jaws dropping when these amazing balloons go by.  Fortunately, none of the parade equipment was harmed by Superstorm Sandy, so everything is ready to go for the big event.  Will you be watching?