I can't recall the last time I watched it…but I'm still saddened by the decision of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to discontinue the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, a holiday tradition since 1928. Generally referred to as "The Santa Claus Lane Parade," it caused no end of traffic nightmares as floats and stars (including some you actually had heard of) marched down Hollywood Boulevard and sometimes portions of Sunset on, usually, the day after Thanksgiving. Here's an article about the decision and there's also some video and a photo gallery.
As a kid, I used to watch it every year. A local TV host named Bill Welsh often covered it live, running out to every passing car that contained a celebrity for a quick chat. I remember one year when Walter Matthau was riding in the event to promote his then-current film, Cactus Flower. Matthau had a little blooming cactus plant as a prop and I think he'd decided to see if he could set some sort of world record for the longest, most shameless plug in television history. He made his driver stop in front of the TV cameras and Matthau began relentlessly selling the film into Welsh's microphone, talking about how funny it was and how great it was to work with Goldie Hawn and how everyone had to go see it. The whole parade just came to a total halt and Welsh stood there with nothing to report on…nothing he could do but let Matthau go on and on, which he did, until a sheriff on horseback came by and ordered the driver to move it. If he hadn't, Bill Welsh and Walter Matthau would have remained on that stretch of Hollywood Boulevard until long after Cactus Flower had come and gone.
Oh, well. At least now if I have to go anywhere near Hollywood on the day after Thanksgiving, I may be able to get there.