- [Narrator] Just 30 minutesoutside of New York City

sits a plain brick warehousein upstate New Jersey

that most people wouldn't even notice.

But inside skilled artists and craftsman

work in secrecy creating masterpieces

that millions will enjoy.

- It takes a special person to work here.

There's something thatis bigger and grander

than any of us who are involved in it.

- [Narrator] That something

is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,

the most celebrated parade in the world.

(upbeat music)

It takes a gifted team,designers, carpenters, painters,

welders, sculptures,seamstresses and others

to build and maintain everyballoon, float and costume.

- Working on the Macy'sThanksgiving Day Parade,

you get to work on some magic.

- [Narrator] But this is no child's play.

Some of these piecestower four stories high,

the work that starts the first of the year

takes creativity, hardwork and long hours.

- It's just not theskill set and the talent

that you're looking for, it's the passion.

- [Narrator] Brett Garrityremembers catching the bug

when he was a boy.

- I saw my first parade in 1993

and immediately I was drawn to it,

I just thought it was the coolest thing.

- [Narrator] So at 15 years old,

he wrote then studio director,Mandred Bess a letter

asking for a job.

Brett didn't realize thestudio had kept the letter.

- And he told me when youturn 16, give me a call

and we'll see what we can do.

So when I turned 16 I call him

and they gave me a summer internship

and I've been here ever since.

- [Narrator] In edition tothe floats and balloons,

it takes thousands of volunteers

to make the parade a success

and most of them are in costume.

(upbeat music)

- This is Macy's costume shophere in Macy's Parade Studio

and we have about 5,000costumes in this room.

- [Narrator] That includesthe most famous suit of all.

- There's something special about Santa.

I remember seeing him coming in

and it was the most excitingthing as a six year old

to see Santa and that was the real Santa,

that wasn't Santa's helper andnow I know Santa, personally.

He sends me birthdaycards, it's really awesome.

- [Narrator] And as alwaysit's Santa's arrival

that signals the end of the parade.

Now the costumes will be putaway, the floats dismantled

and everyone takes a well deserved break

after nother successfulkickoff to the holiday season.

(upbeat music)