What is Thanksgiving all about? It's about ringing in the season of conspicuous consumerism we call Christmas, right? So what better way to celebrate that than with a department store sponsored holiday tradition: The Macy's Thanksgiving balloons.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a staple of New York life since the '30s and part of the national consciousness since it's been on television. And nothing is as emblematic of the parade as the giant balloons that they haul across the city to the delight of millions. The figures they choose have as much to say about us and our culture as they do about wanting to buy a watch at Macy's. Let's take a look at their history.

And if you want to see the balloons being inflated, head to 77th and 81st Streets and Central Park West before 10pm today. Here's the rest of the info if you're crazy enough to actually want to watch the parade yourself.