When we knew that we’d be spending Thanksgiving in America we made sure we partook in the very American tradition of seeing a Thanksgiving Day Parade. As we were staying not too far from Reston, Virginia and they were gracious enough to be putting a parade on it was there that we headed early in the morning to check out the parade route, find a decent spot, enjoy the spectacle, and take one or two photos of the incredibly American event.
It was interesting that one element of what I assumed was the main basis of the parade was quite subdued; that being pure, unadulterated fun. Instead, I found the Thanksgiving Parade quite formal, quite strict, regimented; despite all the smiles and waving. Some of that obviously comes from the military contingent in the parade and the marching bands who are clearly run in a martial manner too, but there was a little too much of the somewhat rote behaviour from many of the other participants too. This isn’t to say that we or other people watching didn’t have a lovely time but it did make me wonder what was really the point of the spectacle. Still very glad to have seen it, of course.
