It’s time to get into the annual mindset of giving thanks, enjoying family and friends, eating lots of great food, and settling in for time-honored traditions like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on TV before the football games start. Each year on Thanksgiving morning, balloons, bands, performers, and floats line up for what seems like miles and march slowly down Central Park West until the final destination of Macy's Herald Square is reached several hours later. Gathering in front of the television on Thanksgiving morning is a tradition many families enjoy, but how much Macy's Thanksgiving parade trivia do you know? Did you know that the first parade was in the 1920’s? What award has the Parade won nine times? Check out these Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade fun facts:

1. Macy's employees put together the very first parade in 1924, and it was such a huge success, they decided to do it annually.

2. Felix the Cat was the first character balloon to make an appearance in the Macy’s parade.

3. The parade has occurred every year since 1924 except for 1942, 1943, and 1944 when rubber was scarce during World War II, so the balloons were donated by Macy’s to help the war effort.

4. The route the parade follows today was the one started in 1945.

5. The parade's first national broadcast was on NBC in 1948.

6. Due to a helium shortage in 1958, the balloons were filled with air and hung from cranes.

7. Parade telecasts have won 9 Emmys since 1979 for Outstanding Achievement.

8. In 2011, 2.5 million people watched the parade in person while over 44 million watched on TV.

9. After the U.S. government, Macy’s is the second-largest consumer of helium in the country.

10. The parade was originally called, “Macy's Christmas Parade.”

Be sure to tune into NBC at 9:00 p.m. [ET] for this year’s Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday.