The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Interview with Meghan Murphy, an avid parade supporter
Introduction
Each year on the fourth Thursday of November, Americans from every edge of the country gather around their televisions and their dinner tables to partake in the three “F’s,”- feasting, football, and family. It is this celebration of Thanksgiving that commemorates the sharing of a meal between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans in 1621, though sometimes the underlying meaning within this sharing is misconstrued. It is deemed as a celebration that is representative of civil religion: “an institutionalized collection of sacred beliefs about the American nation,” (Bellah). Some believe that Thanksgiving is the epitome of religious observance, while others, in particular an avid Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade supporter by the name of Meghan Murphy, believes it is a time of “coming together,” a time where patriotism for our country holds stronger than our beliefs in God. Ms. Murphy’s beliefs about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade suggest that it is a dominant symbol of American civil religion.
Background
The first Thanksgiving feast was three days long- much longer than our 24-hour celebration. The Pilgrims and the Native Americans joined together to eat, hunt, and entertain, ravishing in the joy of the Pilgrims’ first successful harvest. It wasn’t until 200 years later that Thanksgiving became an annual holiday. In 1789, President George Washington declared the First Ever National Thanksgiving holiday, but it had yet to become an annual tradition until the 19th century; that’s when American writer Sara Josepha Hale, best known for her book Mary had a Little Lamb, read the diary of a Pilgrim, and began an astounding 30 year campaign to recreate the First Thanksgiving and to make it a national holiday. This was the beginning of a tradition that would last until the present day.
It was the 1920s in New York City, and Macy’s Department Store had expanded to cover an entire city block. They wanted to provide the city with an extravagance like it has never seen before, in celebration of its growth. Being two weeks before Thanksgiving, the idea of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade came about. It was such a huge success that it was demanded of the people of New York to set aside time each Thanksgiving morning to watch the parade. Macy’s teamed up with NBC Studios so those around the country can watch it from the comfort of their own home. This event had become part of Meghan Murphy’s family traditions ever since, whether they choose to attend the actual parade, or to watch it on the big screen.
Meghan Murphy is a 22-year-old graduate student at Columbia University who is studying speech pathology. She is also my brother Peter’s girlfriend of three years, who, each year, wishes to celebrate both my and her birthday at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is a consequential consecutive occurrence; it goes like so: Thanksgiving, my birthday, and then Meghan’s birthday- three straight days of celebration. “Everyday should be Thanksgiving,” she exclaims.
Her Thoughts on the Parade
“I just feel that by taking part in the event, either by actually going to the parade or watching it on television or talking about it, is such a big part of just bringing the country together,” Ms. Murphy says. What has intrigued her most since she was a little girl are the different floats that are shown each year, especially because it keeps her updated on what’s going on in the pop culture aspect of life. “If there was a big Goofy float or a Winnie-the-Pooh float, I’d totally be in…although I don’t know if I would want to actually hold one of those floats,” she jokes. She’d rather be on the platforms that performers sing on to stay on the safe side. It is this entertainment, she says, that “captures the essence of Thanksgiving in coming together; you reflect on the little things that may not be so little.”
To Ms. Murphy, the meaning of Thanksgiving is clear. “In just being a platform where everyone watches, and it’s so well known, and people are turning on their televisions and are flying in from all over the country to come to the parade- that is really capturing the essence of Thanksgiving in just coming together- for me that is one of the meanings of Thanksgiving,” she proudly explains. Ms. Murphy describes that on Thanksgiving we are given the opportunity to reflect on the “things that you take for granted like your health, or the fact that you have a roof over your head, or food on your table, really putting things in perspective and giving thanks for all that we really do have.”
The Parade as an Act of Civil Religion
Ms. Murphy comments thoroughly and elaborates upon her thoughts regarding civil religion in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. “When I think about Thanksgiving I don’t exactly think of a religion in particular…I think it’s more rooted in our history and in patriotism.” “I feel like sometimes religion sets people apart in different holidays,” as she mentions examples associated with Catholicism such as Christmas, and with Judaism such as Hanukkah, “but we all celebrate Thanksgiving…it resonates with everyone who is American,” she confirms. Thanksgiving is a holiday that could be meaningful for all religions, affirming her belief in an American civil religion. “I think it transcends religion and that’s why it’s so fundamental in bringing people together.”
Civil religion, according to Robert Bellah, gives the people an overarching sense of spiritual unity. “I believe there can be a civil religion in appreciating the traditions and beliefs of others.” Civil religion allows for our country to be open-minded, which is the key to unity according to Ms. Murphy. “I’m someone who likes everyone being brought together, so although I might celebrate Christmas, why can’t I also partake in or appreciate my friends who celebrate Hanukkah and are Jewish?” As the first day of Hanukkah fell on Thanksgiving Day in 2013, a blue dreidel float was incorporated within the parade. “Thanksgiving is not about religion…they paid tribute to it and I appreciated that, but at the end of the day, it’s the Thanksgiving Day Parade, it’s not the Hanukkah parade. It’s something that everyone across the country, regardless of religion, can watch and enjoy and be a part of.” She adds, “if they’re doing Hanukkah and Christmas, I don’t remember seeing a Kwanza float;” she believes that there should either be a float for all different religions to be even more inclusive, or to not include them at all, to avoid favoritism, social conflict, and bias.
Traditions of Her Own
As the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade remains an annual hit, Ms. Murphy has some traditions of her own. The dinner menu remains the same each year, “we have our mashed potatoes and ham and cranberry sauce and stuffing and turkey- I was saving the best for last…once you have the turkey, you’re so tired,” she jokes. She mentions pulling the wishbone on the turkey for good luck, as well as taking part in a little competitive family football game in the park. She adds a modern spin to Thanksgiving by playing the newest game on the market, known as Heads Up, with her 30 plus-person ensemble, which includes several little kids. “I’m so great at it; we’re all really big into pop culture; there’s a lot of yelling,” she laughs. Another part of her Thanksgiving night is spent singing “Happy Birthday” to her with her grandma’s famous chocolate cake with rainbow sprinkles; “they always sing, no matter how old I get.”
It’s just so apparent how much Ms. Murphy enjoys spending time with her family. “I really look forward to it because that’s my opportunity to see my cousins who go away…those are the days we actually come together and see each other and catch up.” On Thanksgiving many families trade off, so it’s difficult missing out on seeing them. Ms. Murphy mentions that when she sees her little cousins she makes sure they understand what “thankful” means in an attempt to maintain tradition with taking part in the parade. “It’s really a day dedicated to family.”
“Coming together,” are two words that Ms. Murphy could hardly stay away from when she hears the words, “Thanksgiving,” or “parade.” She enthusiastically advocates for the blending of those from all over the country under this one event. As a form of civil religion, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade allows for the sharing of memories within families and friends, and really allows one to “take it all in and really appreciate what you have.”
My Personal Reflection
I chose to write about the role of civil religion, specifically within the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It appealed to me that Thanksgiving is one of very few holidays when all different religions have the opportunity to share thanks despite their differences in beliefs. I chose my narrator, Meghan Murphy, based off of the fact that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday and that she has been attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year since her family began this tradition. At first, my intention was to speak to a director or coordinator of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but was not able to contact anyone after several phone calls and emails. After researching different views on civil religion, I came across an article that explained the blending of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah specifically in 2013. A blue dreidel was incorporated into the parade and I was interested in hearing Meghan Murphy’s views on this addition. Thanksgivingukkah ended up becoming an important part of my researched topic alongside civil religion, which my research partner Victoria Ventimiglia had looked deeper into.
Written by:
Fina Vitale
Thanksgivingukkah
Interview with Rachel Smalle, a participant in Thanksgiving rituals
Abstract
Thanksgivingukkah was a “holiday” that melded Thanksgiving and Hanukkah together. It occurred when one of the days of Hanukkah happened to fall on the day of Thanksgiving. Rachel Smalle, a fellow classmate who practices Judaism, gave insight into the meaning, preparation and practices that surrounded both holidays, as well as what occurred last fall, when the two collided.
Introduction
Thanksgivingukkah was a combined celebration of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, since the two fell on the same day. This rare occurrence won’t happen again for another 70,000 years, and therefore, occurs only once in a lifetime. In order to make the celebration a reality, an effort had to be made by Jewish-Americans. It is the collective effort of these individuals, such as Rachel Smalle, who brought this holiday to fruition. As a result of their innovative customs, Judaism gained more prominence in American society, which can be seen with the inclusion of a dreidel float in the most recent Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Thanksgivingukkah was celebrated by people like Rachel Smalle, who merged the secular customs of Thanksgiving with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
My Reflection
Initially, I chose my project because of the role that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has in my life. Every Thanksgiving morning, I put the television on so my family can watch the parade as we prepare our meal. Due to this consistency, watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade has become a tradition. I soon came to realize that this custom was not particular to my family. An enormous amount of individuals view the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every holiday morning. My curiosity encouraged me to inquire into how the parade appeals to such a large audience, and the role it plays in the lives of others. I found that this celebration unites people under a civil religion of the United States: nationalism. Citizens of diverse cultures living in America are able to come together in celebration of a secular holiday. Even Jewish devotees, who celebrated Thanksgivingukkah, a rare occurrence that won’t happen again for another 70,000 years, were included in the parade. The discovery of Thanksgivingukkah while researching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade then sparked my interest in how the inclusion of those who practice Judaism was impacted, and how their customs changed that year as a result of the occurrence.
One challenge I faced while researching both the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and the celebration of Thanksgivingukkah was the lack of resources. Although there are many parade-goers, there is not nearly enough accessible information concerning the parade itself. The convergence of Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah was an extremely rare incident, and won’t happen again for approximately another 70,000 years. Due to the infrequency of Thanksgivingukkah, and how recent the last occurrence was, there is not a sufficient amount of information regarding the event. Therefore, the interview with Rachel Smalle became one of my only primary resources regarding both The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Thanksgivingukkah, as well as how the two collided.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Background
Every Thanksgiving morning, about fifty million viewers nationwide tune in to watch the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The tradition began in 1924 when Louis Bamberger held the first Thanksgiving Parade at his store in Newark, New Jersey. The parade was soon transferred to New York City through Macy’s. It had become a narrative, telling the story of Thanksgiving’s origins through cultural symbols that reflect the history of our nation. All who were associated with the parade, including professional bands, and live animals, would march down 34th Street in vibrant costumes. The live animals were soon replaced by floats. These floats still “stand” as the main attraction within the parade today.
The Emergence of Thanksgivingukkah
In 2013, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fell on the same day for the first time in recorded history. Being that the holiday was only recently established, no prior origins of Thanksgivingukkah exist. Although, if Thanksgiving had been commissioned just two years earlier, the first occurrence of Thanksgivingukkah would have been in 1861. The recent interest in the combination holiday is seen in many Jewish-Americans who are in favor of the inclusion of Judaism within a Christian-based holiday. Those who became concerned with Thanksgivingukkah were able to utilize social media in a way that would encourage the presence of Judaism in American culture. On a broader scale, the religious and cultural tolerance that merging Thanksgiving and Hanukkah has promoted is viewed as politically correct. The recent movement to be as socially open-minded as possible in the United States had citizens eager to combine these two holidays.
Thanksgivingukkah within the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Thanksgivingukkah played small, but significant role within the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To accommodate this holiday, a blue dreidel float became the newest addition to the conglomeration of parade floats. The mere fact that the dreidel was featured in the parade was a significant event: Thanksgivingukkah would not occur for another 70,000 years, yet it was still included in the parade. This float stood, or rather, floated, representing the inclusion of the Jewish community of America within a Christian-based holiday.
Rachel’s Involvement in Thanksgiving
In order to attain a better understanding of the American rituals of Thanksgiving, Rachel Smalle, a fellow classmate of Jewish descent, speaks about the holiday. In 2013, Rachel celebrated both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah on the same day. She was able to maintain loyalty to the customs of Judaism, while celebrating Thanksgiving. Surprisingly enough, during her interview, Smalle mentions, “Thanksgiving is a little more important to American views,” asserting the prominence of this holiday. “Thanksgiving was definitely the bigger deal,” she claims, as opposed to Hanukkah, which, according to her, “isn’t a big deal.” Rachel also spoke about her original Thanksgiving customs, from the preparation, to the family dinner itself. She gives a small synopsis of how the day unfolds: “Well, my mom gets dinner from a grocery store… Like a turkey, yams, and all the side stuff… My brother comes home… And we eat food for a couple of hours and talk.” Rachel explains what makes this holiday special to her by specifying, “it’s the one night a year that my family eats dinner together, that’s not a Jewish holiday.” This custom allows her family to come together when they normally would not. In general, what Thanksgiving means to her is “food,” “no school,” and “shopping.” “It’s just a very American holiday,” Smalle says. “It’s American, and it’s inclusive.”
Rachel’s Involvement in Thanksgivingukkah
The interesting part of the interview was when Rachel explained how she melded Thanksgiving and Hanukkah rituals together. To sum it up, she explains, “As for my family, we just get a dinner platter from the grocery store, and we just had, ya know, turkey… I had yams and lasagna. We were eating pretty late and you’re supposed light the candles at sundown. And uh, then we went down and lit the candles.” The simplicity of her synopsis effectively reflects how nonchalant Thanksgivingukkah was to Rachel and her family. Although, she mentions, “Certainly there were latkes where there wouldn’t have been at Thanksgiving.” To further explain the insignificance of this rare occurrence, Smalle explains, “Back in October or September, the word ‘Thanksgivingukkah’ started kind of circulating. It was quite funny. People were like, ‘Oh, look! Thanksgiving is on the first day of Hanukkah- let’s call it Thanksgivingukkah!’ …My cousin was telling me about it, and I was highly entertained.”
Speaking on behalf of others who celebrated Thanksgivingukkah, Rachel asserts, “From what I understand, most Jews in the United States, you know, buy turkey and then lit the candle. They combine their Hanukkah party with their Thanksgiving celebration. Some people take it more seriously, and they made it into a like big holiday party kind of deal, but because Hanukkah isn’t a big deal anyway. Thanksgiving is probably a bit more important.”
She was pleased to witness Thanksgivingukkah as a part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the inclusion of a dreidel float. Although there was only one float to represent this occurrence, Smalle felt that it was more than enough to acknowledge a holiday that only happens won’t happen again for another 70,000 years. “Being that they’ll never have to use that float again, I think that it [Thanksgivingukkah] is pretty well represented,” she points out, which led to the next question: did she feel more included in the celebration of Thanksgiving due to the recent representation of Judaism within in the parade? “I never felt not included in Thanksgiving,” Rachel replied. She explains, “It’s a national holiday, so it’s not like only the Christian kids get off school, you know, the Jewish kids do too.” To conclude, Rachel states, “So I don’t know if I felt more a part of Thanksgiving, but I certainly have never not felt a part of Thanksgiving.”
In Conclusion
The interview with Rachel Smalle was a valuable source that gave insight to the melding of cultures on Thanksgiving. Both Rachel’s beliefs and Thanksgiving customs expand on the traditional Thanksgiving rituals of Americans, especially as she was involved in a practice that combined this holiday with another. Studying Thanksgivingukkah has provided insight on the blending of different cultures, under a civil religion of America. Thanksgiving allows various people to unite in celebration of their unique cultures and coexistence within the nation. Although a challenge, Jewish immigrants have succeeded in balancing newfound American identities, while keeping the traditions of Judaism alive. Now, Jewish-Americans are free to practice without persecution. Public celebrations, such as parades, feasts, and other cultural spectacles, serve as symbols of religious pluralism in America, inviting individuals of diverse cultures to celebrate as one.
Written By:
Victoria Ventimiglia
References For Analyses
“Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Revisiting Civil Religion*.” Marvin, Carolyn and Ingle, David. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
“Evangelical Political Analysis.” Evangelical Political Analysis. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
“From “Civil Religion” to Nationalism as the Religion of Modern Times: Rethinking a Complex Relationship.” – Santiago. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
“Inventing Thanksgiving.” Prose Before Hos. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
“In Manhattan, ‘Thanksgivukkah’ Is as American as Apple Pie.” The Times of Israel. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
“Producing the Sacred: An Essay on Public Religion.” Google Books. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
“TheKennedy Inaugural.” Civil Religion in America by Robert N. Bellah. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
