Across the nation on Thursday, Americans celebrated Thanksgiving by attending parades and feasting on their favorite foods.

Parade goes on

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade promenaded through Manhattan as scheduled, defying high winds that had threatened to ground its massive balloons for the first time in more than 40 years. Police, parade officials and meteorologists had been concerned, eying forecasts that called for sustained winds of more than 20 mph. The parade’s balloons are not allowed to fly if winds are higher than 23 mph. The rule was adopted after the 1997 parade, when fierce winds caused the Cat in the Hat balloon to careen into a lamppost, injuring a spectator.

More than just turkey

On remote Little Diomede Island in Alaska, where you can actually see Russia, the residents enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast of turkey, fruit salad and pumpkin pie flown in in by helicopter Nome. But the menu also a local speciality: walrus stew.

Double holiday

In a calendar quirk, Thanksgiving coincided with the start of Hanukkah. Some Jews said they felt a bit put off by the clashing celebrations, but Bruce Sandler, president of Young Israel of Northridge near Los Angeles, said he was enjoying it: “I don’t think it’s a big deal — I think maybe it adds a little bit to it.”

White House tradition

President Barack Obama and his family enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving at the White House. In keeping with tradition, Obama also placed calls to 10 armed service members — two each from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, wishing them and their families a happy Thanksgiving.