We are all familiar with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, even if we've never watched it. The parade begins at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day and ends around noon. It is aired on TV and watched by millions from their homes across the country.

Along with the millions watching the parade from the comfort of their couches, there are thousands in the parade and millions watching the parade from the sidewalk of the parade. Going to the parade has always been a dream of mine, so I finally saved up the money and went to NYC for a few days to get the full experience.

Would I go again? Yes. Did I learn what to do differently for next time? Oh yes. Four things I did learn were to:

1. Wear comfortable shoes.

2. Bring a chair.

3. Get there early.

4. Make lunch reservations somewhere nearby for after the parade.

Before arriving in NYC, I did a lot of research on what to do at the parade, where to stand, etc. But nothing really prepared me or said anything about bringing a chair and to get there early.

We got to our spot (W 72 St and Central Park West) around 7:30 a.m. after we stopped at Starbucks for breakfast and coffee. Where we ended up standing was actually a really good spot; there was a fence railing on the sidewalk, and we were probably two feet away from that and we could see really well.

Getting bumped into and getting the back of your feet stepped on was inevitable, and some people would get mad, but it's just part of the parade experience. By the time the parade started, my feet were numb and I was crying inside from the pain. I should've worn my Nike's because as cute as my boots are, they aren't great for standing in one spot for five hours.

Everything about the parade was gorgeous. The floats, balloons, costumes, and decorations were all divine. It was obvious that a lot of people and hard work had gone into making the parade happen, and that their hard work showed and paid off.

I couldn't pick one favorite thing from the parade because everything was so great. Every balloon was huge; from your TV you don't realize how big the balloons are. The floats were exquisite, and it was clear that every little detail had been planned out. The costumes that the bands, cheerleaders, and dancers wore were absolutely gorgeous. It was as if they got new outfits just for the parade.

Thank you to everyone who was a volunteer, was in the parade, and helped out in any way for making the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.