They passed with flying colors.
These three new Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons — “The Elf on the Shelf” storybook character, Hello Kitty in a retro airplane and a dancing Papa Smurf — debuted yesterday in their first test flight over New Jersey’s Meadowlands Racetrack.
“The Elf on the Shelf” co-author Chanda Bell watched her beloved little character plump into a giant 46-foot-tall, 28-foot-wide, 64-foot-long helium balloon.
“When you’re old and gray, you can look back and just be proud,” said Bell, as 70 ground-crew members handled ropes to navigate each balloon.
Macy’s veteran balloon designer John Piper said each new floater takes about a year to create.
The major challenges this year involved making Hello Kitty’s trademark red bow and balancing Papa Smurf’s legs to have it appear as if he’s dancing.
“The payoff is seeing 3 million jaws dropping and 6 million eyes popping,” he said. “Whether you’re three or 103, you’re a kid on Thanksgiving when those balloons go by.”
Piper said they choose the parade’s balloons by checking in with kids.
Among the 16 giant balloons in this year’s 86th annual parade along Sixth Avenue are Charlie Brown, Underdog and SpongeBob SquarePants.