Another Thanksgiving has come and gone and it was once again delightful. Truly my favorite holiday. But this year was even better.
Yes, my parents were visiting. Yes, we had sunny weather. Yes, my turkey was moist and the stuffing plentiful.
But even better than that?
I was proven right.
Two years ago I wrote a post about my favorite Thanksgiving memory: when Santa’s pants fell down at the end of the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I hope against hope every year that it happens again, but in this YouTube age, it wouldn’t be as funny. This holiday I received three comments and an email about that post, and every single one made me grin like a lunatic. I didn’t hallucinate it! I tried finding a video online, but if one exists, it’s well hidden. I’m also pickled tink that I’m #2 in a Google search for “Santa’s Pants Fell Down.” It may be the little things, but this made my weekend.
Sadly, I must confess that my pie skills are no better than they were 24 months ago. As much as I adore pecan pie, and I mean I’d eat it for every meal if I could, I appear to have lost my touch for good. Instead, I now have a great talent for making tooth-breaking pecan brittle. Heavy on the brittle. Makes me cry a little inside. I blame the altitude. And the gluten-free-ness. And the fact that pecans hate me because I want to bake them into goo and shovel them into my gaping maw, warm with ice cream on top.
But at least my pants wouldn’t fall down.
Wait! I wasn’t the only one!? Where are the other comments? I can’t believe we are all coming out of the woodwork! We need a Facebook page! Maybe there are more like us out there!!
Nope, not the only one! LOL! The other comments are on the original post. 😉 Hm…a Facebook group…hmm…
I remember my mother calling me–shocked—that she had to follow the high altitude directions. She had just returned to CO after a thirty year absence living in AZ. But still—duh?
Yeah, but you wouldn’t think that high altitude would matter for pecan goo! Blerg. 😛
🙂
Thanks Jen !
This has made my day..I’ve been thinking about Santa for a while but only got down to googling tonight and a happened upon your site. It was one of the funniest memories I have and I would love to see it again. I agree a Facebook page is in order…how about starting one? Well done.
I can’t begin to tell you how glad I am that I didn’t hallucinate that event. LOL!
I remember this too. Lol. We still talk about this every macy’s parade day. What year was this?1970 -1972?
I think it was early 80s. I was born in 1973 and was maybe 7 or 8. And I still watch to see it it’ll happen. Lol
Yes it was- early 80’s. I was a young mother- I couldn’t believe it! I’m so glad that you remembered it too!
It was definitely the early 80’s because I saw it while in college. Remember vividly.
We were talking about this today. Googled and found your comments. It was so shockingly funny. I never realized whether it was planned or not. A very funny moment.
Thanks…while watching this year’s parade, I got to thinking about the year I saw Santa’s pants fall down. Thanks for the validation.
We always waited for Santa to arrive before going the 45 minute drive to my in-laws. I was last to leave the house and the ONLY one in the family to see his pants fall off. Boy that was a hard time convincing anyone what I saw 🙂 Thanks for the search I wish they had the video too.
Someday that video will surface and I will sit back and smile.
Nobody has EVER believed that I SAW Santa Claus LOSE HIS TROUSERS!!
He had just gotten off the sleigh and was going up the steps in front of Macy’s to that little balcony to welcome the Christmas season. It was on those steps his pants fell down almost to his knees. It happened fast because he grabbed them and hardly missed
a beat so if you weren’t looking at that exact moment, you missed it.
But WE were looking, weren’t we?
Thanks for the validation!
I had friends this year who actually found newspaper mention of it!! Still waiting for video. 😉
I remember seeing that as a child. I searched for years and several years ago I finally found it on YouTube but can’t find it anymore.
Very, Very Funny!
I remember it like it was yesterday. For years my family, who weren’t in the room when it happened, have accused me of making it all up! So glad to find someone who can back up my story!
BTW, the link to “Santa’s pants fell down” doesn’t work. Do you still have this entry some place?
I saw it too! I so wish I could see it again and again! And I know somewhere, Macy’s has it documented! It was the best thing about the parade that year! And I tell my kids and grandkids about it every year! You are not alone!
I remember this happening too. Santa made the naughty list that year.
I remember too! I could not stop laughing in shock. I was a young teen and I believe it happened in the late ’70s. Macy’s must have all its parades taped. Someone should find that year and post it. We all can use a big laugh after this year.
I remember too! I could not stop laughing in shock. I was a young teen and I believe it happened in the late ’70s. Macy’s must have all its parades taped. Someone should find that year and post it. We all can use a big laugh after this year.
I was watching from Chicago and am so happy to read that others remember this. My son was just a little guy; think it was around 1979.
I am so happy to have found this page. I was the only one watching at the end of the parade when Santa’s pants fell down walking into Macy’s. I keep looking for a video but have not been able to find one. I know there has to be one out there somewhere. I am happy to know there are others who saw it too.
I look for a video or photos every year to no avail. :/ Maybe someday… LOL!
I am going to watch the Macy’s parade with my children, all in their 20’s. Every year I tell them about Santa’s pants falling down, and they roll their eyes…”Yeah, Mom.” Now I can show them this site and be vindicated!
LOL! It did happen!!!!
Was just telling my grandson about the time Santa lost his pants after the parade.
😃🎅🏻 It happened!
I was watching in Chicago. My son who was 9 remembers it also. Pretty sure it was 1979. Surprised others don’t remember. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
I was talking to my friend Jim about this today. I wish I had my old VCR recording that parade. Would have kept it and transferred it to digital. I think because it was at the very end of the long parade broadcast, most people had tuned out so very few people saw it.
I would LOVE to find a recording of this. LOL!
My mom and I saw it too, and we joke about it every single year. This morning during the parade I said “Remember the year the marching band’s pants all fell off?” and she literally spit eggnog all over her iPad. 😆🎄🦃
🤣🤣🤣 As a lifelong band geek, I’d lose it if a band all tripped trou.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
PS – I just found this, so apparently it was in 1979.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/people.com/archive/ed-finkelsteins-marketing-miracle-on-34th-street-its-the-glamorous-new-macys-vol-12-no-24/amp/
🤣🤣🤣
At last! Confirmation that I wasn’t hallucinating back in c. 1980 when I saw Santa’s pants fall down as he made his way through the crowd at the front door of Macy’s! Standing in front of the tv, I gasped and began saying, “Oh dear, oh dear. Oh Santa!!”
I couldn’t find anyone who saw it or even believed me! Most scoffed and asked what was in my coffee!
For years I asked around, looking for news reports or some kind of hint of confirmation… nothing. Silence and ridicule was all I found. So I stopped mentioning it. But I clearly remember it. I even remember where I was standing, waiting until the very end to turn off the tv and go out the door to my parents house.
Only this week did I again, mention it to a friend. She laughed but also tried to ‘google’ the story. No references would come up. (Remember, back then there were very few recorders, as it was all film. And I assume Macy’s quashed any leaks of the story, after all, it was Santa!)
Jump to Thanksgiving morning, 2018. I decided to try & pursue the story again. Imagine how stunned and thrilled I was to find your comments. Vindication! I’d love to hear your story.
(PS. I don’t do social media.)
No one believed me or my Gram, either! We were the only ones who saw it, and the rest of the family thought we’d gone ’round the bend. But it’s my #1 favorite Thanksgiving memory, and every year when people search for stories about it they find this post and make me smile. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just found this NY Times article from November 23, 1979 that briefly mentions Santa’s mishap.
https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/23/archives/thanksgiving-day-parade-is-still-a-smash-in-53d-year-children-to.html
Love this! Thank you so much for sharing it!