The holidays are a very special time, whether you celebrate or not you can’t deny the happy feeling of buying and seeing Christmas decorations, the heartwarming emotion of watching a sappy holiday movie, or the annoyance of listening to Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You for the 300th time or watching the never-ending Home Alone re-runs all throughout the month.

But one of the things that make the holiday season special for many families across the world are the amazing television specials. Personally, I always look forward to watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every year, and my mom always gets excited watching the tree light up during the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony.

However, 2020 has been a giant change for television, from having to postpone shooting TV shows and popular award shows becoming virtual. What will happen to our beloved holiday specials?

Well fortunately for us, Macy’s didn’t let the pandemic get in the way and on September 14, 2020 New York City mayor Bill De Blasio confirmed that the parade will happen but with a lot of changes. Some of the changes include:

*The parade will be a TV only event reducing the audience by 75% and no one under the age of 18 will be attending the event.

*Will not be marching down the 2.5-mile traditional route and instead will be shortened.

*No selected high school or college band will be performing instead will be replaced with locally-based marching bands.

*Instead of having the usual 80-100 people handling and carrying the balloons, they are going to have special vehicles carrying the balloons.

As you can see these are a lot of changes, but nonetheless we will still be seeing those balloons soaring through the sky everyone will be safe and that’s what’s important. COVID-19 has taken away many things for many people, whether it was a loved one, an event, or in our case a normal school year, the one thing it couldn’t take from us was the most wonderful and magical time of the year. Yes, it will be different, but it’s the closest thing we’re getting to cheer and happiness during a time where being cheerful and positive seems almost impossible.