Happy Giving, Thanks!!

Yes, you could tell this has been an economic meltdown Thanksgiving Day Parade.

** Matt Lauer hosted along with a cardboard cutout of Meredith Viera.

** They weren't able to afford a Snoopy float this year, but settled for Woodstock.

** It was sad to see them using actual homeless people to perform a number from the musical, "Rent".

** They could only afford one high school marching band, and that was from the "Special High School for Students With Severe Leg Disabilities".

** Unable to afford sophisticated sound systems, the music stars actually had to sing their hits through a megaphone.

** The parade's Grand Marshall was Peter.

** Macy's announced they were filing for bankruptcy halfway through.

** The floats were being pulled by rickshaw boys.

** The floats were so nondescript that the Grand Prize for Best Float was accidentally awarded to a city garbage truck.

** A man actually stealing a loaf of bread and being chased by the cops was mistaken for a scene from "The Miserables".

** It was sad to see only three Rockettes doing their kicks.

** The crowd was thrilled by the Tribute to Meredith Wilson, "76 Kazoos"!