It happens almost every other time of the year: you suddenly notice how the big red logo thing they paint on the street each year for the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade is battered, fading, somewhat cluttered --- in short, litle more than a mere shadow of its former self. That is, of course, until the final few weeks before Parade time, when the logo is repainted and given a fresh new set of colors, so that it looks really good for NBC's cameras. The logo was designed for NBC's Graphics Department by television veterans Bob Gautieri and Kelly Shelly, so I know something of how they operate. However, given that this year will mark the 75th Anniversary of that first Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I think, for one, that it's high time the team of Gautieri and Shelly should work on new graphics and a new logo for the NBC telecast.

Why do I believe this? Well, for one thing, as we learned last year, this year's show will be the first Macy*s Parade where we will not have the comforting presence of either Jean McFaddin, the lady who, for nearly a quarter of a century, spearheaded and guided this Parade to its happy conclusion --- the traditional Triumphant Entry of Santa Claus --- each and every year; nor shall we see the superb attention to detail inherent in the various float designs of the Parade's beloved Senior Designer, Manfred Bass. Both Jean and Manny retired from Macy*s at the end of last year; thus, the 2001 NBC telecast won't really feel the same. Yes, Katie, Matt and Al will once again host; whereas Brad Lechman will once again executive produce, with Gary Halvorson at the helm as director --- but somehow, it just won't feel right. I can't help but wonder why.

Then again, I've always suspected that the graphics on the show have somehow had some kind of connection with it. You enjoy the logo and graphics for at least a few years; but after a while, things tend to get a bit stale. Which explains why I think NBC's telecast of the Macy*s Parade, which I have faithfully depended upon even before Santa Claus: The Movie came into my life, deserves its own fresh coat of paint, if you will. Frankly, I've been bugging NBC about this for several years now; and in all that time, I've never really had the werewithal to write to them about this subject. Perhaps, in this, the era of Survivor, such an idea might seem a little bit too touchy-feely. Yet, I find myself asking:

Whither the future of the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade? What next for its braintrust? And how will Santa's role in Macy*s future be treated? Of course, Macy*s Santa would, as usual, follow the script by reminding us, his loyal fans, that his is basically the best job on Earth. That's all well and good, no doubt, but even Santa Claus must look to the future.

Especially now, in light of the recent disaster at the World Trade Center Complex. September 11th, 2001 may have been too much for even the Young-in-Heart to comprehend; there are some who will tell you that they will plan to mark that day forever as the day when America, and, by extension, the world, was shorn of its innocence. Yet the good people of Macy*s have chosen to shoulder on, and do the Parade as scheduled. While I consider this to be a wise as well as a sound and noble gesture on the part of the Macy*s East braintrust, I still must wonder: How many scripts will it take to convince even a Professional Believer in Santa Claus that we, as Americans, can still believe in our innocence? How many more corporate entities must pass through along the road to Herald Square before we can feel like we are once again New York City? These are not easy questions.

That such questions are being addressed here at KringleQuest.com speaks volumes, not only about those of us who believe in Santa and his magic, but also about those who can still convince us in our heart of hearts that somehow, in spite of everything, there will always be someone who can remind us that we are safe, that everything will be made right in the end, that someone will always be there to take care of us, no matter what. In this respect, I hope that this year, no matter how horrible the real world may seem, those responsible for planning and preparing this 75th Anniversary Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade will appreciate the magic spirit wielded of old by those who have gone before them; and eventually, those who will represent the Parade's next three-quarters of a century.

Sincerely yours,

RICHARD WASHINGTON

Senior Elf-in-Charge, KringleQuest.com

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