. >> spongebob was the first square balloon ever created for our parades. >> reporter: some traditionse on, but with changes. the macy's thanksgiving day parade was a crowd-less, made-for-tv-only event, a first in its 94-year history. but there was no stopping some new yorkers from getting into the spirit. >> we have this vision of him walking around with a little balloon, just being his own parade. and we decided, why not just keep the magic alive? >> reporter: thanksgiving really marks the beginning of the holiday season, and it comes as doctors are very, very worried about what the next several weeks will bring, leading up to the next set of holidays, when americans will want to come together and celebrate in what will be very uncertain times. chip. >> reid: thanks, kris. tonight, the c.d.c. has a grim prediction: the u.s. death toll from covid could hit 321,000 by mid-december. by then, hospitals could be overflowing with patients in many parts of the country. here's cbs' adriana diaz. >> reporter: at chicago's rush university medical center, they've set up a covid triage area in t