Thanksgiving is a special holiday for Americans. We take time to gather as families and in our communities without the stress of shopping for presents or stringing elaborate decorations. All of our Thanksgiving traditions revolve around visiting family members far and wide, eating incredible amounts of food, and maybe watching a little football or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It might surprise you to know that GM and Chevy are a main part of how we celebrate Thanksgiving in America. They always have been, in little ways and big ones.
The little ways are the most obvious. Thanksgiving means getting together, and that means travel. Whether it’s the room-for-eight Acadia Denali, the higher-end Equinox with lots of cargo room, or the stylish and popular Malibu, Chevys fill the highways every November. Our solid craftsmanship makes us a trusted choice for long road trips. We carry people across cities and even states to join their loved ones for the holidays. (With the new Colorado Duramax diesel engine getting top marks for fuel efficiency, we’ll probably also hauling a few campers for those who don’t want to pile in to Uncle Fred’s guest room.)
Equally memorable are the post-holiday supper tailgate parties. Big meals like Thanksgiving tend to be served earlier, around three or four in the afternoon. That leaves plenty of time for people near cities hosting a Thanksgiving-Day game to head over to the stadium. Since six of the top thirteen best-selling trucks in America are GMC models, it’s a safe bet you’ll see a few already there. Generous bed sizes make Chevy trucks the best bet for tailgating parties. In Texas, where football is practically a religion, families have been known to serve their entire family dinner from the back of a Silverado. They pre-cook pies and other side dishes, then haul a turkey fryer and a grill to the stadium parking lot.
What comes as news to many people is GM’s long history of patronizing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every household that isn’t watching football is probably watching the parade. New Yorkers and tourists alike line the streets to watch outlandish floats, dance troupes, bands, and celebrities pass to celebrate the holiday in true American fashion. The parade’s route has been more or less set since its beginning with some adjustments as more floats enter. Its two and a half mile path traces the side of Central Park before sauntering down Sixth Street and winding up in front of Macy’s Herald Square.
The parade has filled the streets of Manhattan with color and music for eighty-eight years. For the last thirty four of those, GMC has been the official truck of the parade. GM and Chevy trucks will tow the parade’s floats and balloons again for the 35th time this Thanksgiving. It’s no easy task, either. Parade floats are up to 40 feet tall, 25 feet wide, and 50 feet long. Designs and performances are so judged at the end. The good-natured competition means almost every group entering a float uses their full allowance of size and weight to pack in the wow factor. That means the floats can weigh as much as 8,000 pounds each.
In the past floats were pulled by Silverados, Sierras, the Acadia Denali, GMC Canyons, and whatever new truck was being released. This year’s star vehicle hasn’t been announced yet, but rumor is that the Chevy Colorado Duramax will make a featured appearance.
If you see a truck you like at the parade, visit Heidebreicht’s Macomb County showroom and one of our professional sales people will help you.
