With a retinue of clowns, freaks, animals and floats, the bewhiskered man in red, in sight of thousands of persons, arrives at 9 o'clock So began the first-ever New York Times coverage of the first-ever Thanksgiving parade put on by Macy's department store on Nov. 27, 1924.Ninety-seven years, 11 months and 28 days later, 10-year-old Lynden Alford stood along the parade route at Columbus Circle screaming her head off at the marching bands, baton twirlers and, of course, giant balloon characters and taking umbrage at the long-ago parade reporter's characterization of her favorite spectacle.