For many across the nation, the end of the Thanksgiving season brings much excitement. For some, it means waking up in the dark hours of "Black Friday" morning, braving the masses of shoppers looking for a great deal.

Others may use the weekend to either detox from their Turkey Day food binge or dig in to leftovers. For many families, it also marks the time period that winter holiday decorations can finally go up. Whatever the tradition, it is likely that at one point in time, you have watched the Macy's Parade.

But being on the West Coast does not mean you have to miss out on the fun:  the Seattle Macy's Parade, touted as a "must-see" during the holiday season, starts bright and early on Nov. 25.

The festivities begin at 8:45 a.m., and throughout the morning, visitors of all ages can enjoy giant inflatables, floats, live entertainment from local high school drill teams and bands and costumed characters. The fun doesn't end once the ticker tape is done falling from the sky at 5 p.m. There will be an official lighting of the Holiday Tree at Westlake Center, followed by the lighting of the Macy's Star. Going out with a bang, the night will end with a remarkable fireworks display.

Last year, the Emerald City was transformed as 20 ballooned floats strolled through town, accompanied by more than 600 characters, as well as a debut of Santa Claus' new sleigh. Various clubs that joined in on the fun included the Super Skippers' Jump Rope club, the Saint Bernard Club of Puget Sound, and charitable organizations such as Make-A-Wish.

The parade, which lasts approximately an hour, will start on 7th Avenue, going down Pine Street and University Street. From there, it will head north toward Macy's (located at 1601 3rd Avenue) for both the Tree and Star lighting. While the entire event is free, the roads along the parade have been known to fill up early, so make sure to get there in time to reserve a good viewing spot.