NEW YORK, Nov 29 — Parades, football and feasts were on the menu yesterday as Americans celebrated the annual Thanksgiving holiday, with stormy skies and the bitterly fought election hanging over many families’ festivities.

Despite a driving rain in New York, crowds still showed up to watch as ornate floats and mega-balloons made their way to Macy’s, the iconic department store and sponsor of the annual parade.

Similar events were held in cities across the United States to mark the holiday, which has been celebrated for centuries and codified in 1941 as falling on the fourth Thursday of November.

Viewed as a moment for families to get together — typically around a big meal starring a roast turkey — it is the busiest travel season of the year.

A record of nearly 80 million people were expected to hit the roads, fly or use some other method to travel over 50 miles (80 kilometres) around the holiday, according to estimates by the national automobile group AAA.

But many had to contend with a major storm system that swept across the country this week, which was continuing Thursday to dump rain and snow on the northeast, including in New York and Boston.

The holiday also features multiple NFL football matches, which many Americans watch in a post-feast slumber.

‘Radical left lunatics’

Families divided over their political views were also bracing for potential strife, with the holiday gatherings the first since the November 5 election won by Donald Trump.

With the highly divisive Republican’s return to the White House, many families are hoping to completely avoid discussion of politics.

Some are forgoing family gatherings altogether, such as Deb Miedema in Minnesota.

"I can’t imagine preparing a meal for 40 people and half of them are OK with this situation,” the 50-year-old told AFP this week.

"Trump doesn’t stop telling lies, he’s a criminal, and all of that is fine with them.”

Joe Biden was spending his last Thanksgiving as president with family on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he visited a local fire department and briefly spoke to reporters.

Asked what he was thankful for, the 82-year-old replied: "My family, the peaceful transition of the presidency, and I’m thankful by the grace of God we were able to make more progress in the Middle East.”

In Washington, Vice President Kamala Harris visited a local food nonprofit to help prepare free meals, where she was asked by reporters what was next for her after her loss to Trump.

"Thanksgiving dinner,” she joked.

Like Biden, she was scheduled to make calls with military service members for the holiday.

Trump, for his part, posted on social media: "Happy Thanksgiving to all, including to the Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country, but who have miserably failed.” — AFP