By Barbara Goldberg NEW YORK (Reuters) – Millions of Americans will gather on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving – stuffing turkeys for feasts, braving high winds along parade routes and planning for the holiday shopping madness as soon as the pumpkin pies have been gobbled up. In New York City, the threat of high winds could ground Snoopy, Sonic the Hedgehog and other giant helium balloons in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. City regulations prohibit them from flying when sustained winds top 23 miles per hour (37 km per hour), and gusts exceed 34 mph. The 87th year of the parade has proved to be among its most controversial with rocker musician Joan Jett, who is a vegetarian and animal-rights activist, moved off the South Dakota tourism float – but still in the parade – after cattle ranchers complained. In an extremely rare coincidence this year, Thanksgiving overlaps with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, sparking the nickname Thanksgivukkah and adding to some dinner tables a turkey-shaped menorah – called a Menurkey – designed by an enterprising 10-year-old boy, Asher Weintraub of New York.
Americans mark Thanksgiving Day with travel, parades, shopping
