I don't know about everyone else, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Not because of the turkey or the homemade rolls (a recipe three generations old) - which is very tasty. Its because of Black Friday and the Macy's parade. The parade begins at 8:45am but the Anderson Family hits the streets around 7:00am. We start off with cups of Seattle's Best Coffee to warm our toes. Then we stake out a spot on the street, preferably someplace with shelter from the wind or rain. We won't be the only ones trying to claim a spot at this hour. The sidewalks fill fast. Once our claim is made - folding chairs and umbrellas laid out - We awaite the arrival of the grandchildren. At this holiday event there will be two brothers, four sisters (including sister-in-loves), our mother, our father, and six bundled "little people" with rosey cheeks and bright eyes. Oh, and Tim is coming too. This'll be his first year participating in Seattle's Downtown Holiday Parade as they call it.
Seattle will celebrate all day long. As I said, the party starts at 8:45am and doesn't stop until the lighting of Westlake Center's Holiday Tree and Macy's Star at 5:00pm accompanied by a fireworks display. Inbetween those hours visitors and native Seattlites alike will shop 'till they drop. There will be merchants and bands and acrobats at every corner. Every hour a store manager will seek a soap box or a megaphone to announce a store-wide sale, "20% off all items for the next TWENTY MINUTES!"
I'm describing my boyfriends worst nightmare: crowds and the too-hard-to-ignore possibility of a stampede. Luckily he loves me enough to endure a day of torture and panic for my happiness. I'm not spoiled. :-)
Remember, just because there are sales doesn't mean you have to buy anything. All the resturants will be open. All the coffee shops will be too. If you feel like taking your laptop and writing a post about people watching the festival is the perfect scenario to do just that.