Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade may be a highlight of the holidays in NYC, but the magic is all created in New Jersey at Macy's Parade Studio, a giant facility where the incredible floats and balloons are built. This year there will be five new floats in the Thanksgiving Day Parade: the Enchanting World of Lindt Chocolate; Despicable Me 2's Despicably Delicious; the fantastic flying ship DREAMSEEKER by Cirque du Soleil; SeaWorld's A Sea of Surprises and Royal Caribbean International's A World at Sea.

Floats can take up to a year from concept to creation and it was interesting to see the early sketches showing their evolution. Based on the drawings, scale models are made and used to plan the final floats. Beyond just looking cool, the floats must be lightweight enough to move, but sturdy enough to support the performers. They also need to be able to fit through the Lincoln Tunnel so they can travel to Manhattan for the big day, a trip which can take 25 hours. Imagine the embarrassment of getting your parade float stuck in the tunnel!

I have to admit, seeing these floats and balloons has me pretty excited about watching the big procession. For the first time, I will be at the live parade as a guest of Sprout and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again up close and in action. I'll be sure to post pictures on Facebook and Instagram.

Find more seasonal fun in our Thanksgiving Fun Guide.