Big Man Santa is a novelty balloon from Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Big Man Santa made his debut in the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as a tribute to the big man himself—Santa Claus.[1] The balloon, which began production a year and a half before its debut,[2] was originally meant to be a recreation of the 1930s Santa Claus balloon, however executive producer Robin Hall did not think it had the same “retrospective charm” as other entries in the heritage balloon program, and began searching for new ideas.[3]
It was during this time that Hall came across a "wonderful and whimsical" multi-panel holiday greeting card in a paper store, which "showed a series of pencil-drawn circles and shapes that when combined became a plump, round Santa."[3] Inspired by the card, the balloon’s design featured a cheery Kris Kringle—measuring 26 feet tall and 21 feet wide—with a rather jolly belly full of helium.
During its first two appearances, the balloon was sponsored by Universal Orlando Resort and, consequently, flew south for the holidays to appear in Macy's Holiday Parade, where he would become a perennial favorite over the years.
Big Man Santa was retired after the 2012 Parade (and was part of the initial balloon lineup in 2013),[1] but continued to appear in Orlando, even receiving a new balloon in 2014 after the old one had worn its welcome. The balloon, alongside every other unit in the Parade, was eventually retired after the 2016 holiday season to make way for its rebranding into Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's.
In 2024, Big Man Santa returned to New York for the first time in over a decade to round out the lineup and make way for the real Santa in his sleigh.
Trivia[]
- Big Man Santa was flown at Balloon Field Training in June 2010 alongside the Toy Soldier.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "All About Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons – 2013." Virtual Office Blog & FAQ. November 7, 2013.
- ↑ Attractions Magazine. "Balloon handling in Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios Florida." YouTube.com. December 18, 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Post from The Big Parade History Project. Facebook.com. January 6, 2022.