One of the most famous holiday events in the world, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is something of an American institution. Held every year in New York and famed for its spectacular balloons and floats, the 1993 event heralded a watershed when Sonic the Hedgehog became the first videogame character to feature in the parade. The debut did not go well: strong winds blew the giant balloon into a lamppost and punctured it.