- If you have a favorite cartoon, television or movie character, you might want to represent it on your float. Think about it: The most beloved floats at the world-famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade are simple characters that children love. Decorate your float as your favorite character, and kids all over will love it. Most mainstream characters can be found at party supply stores, so a character float is easy to decorate.
- You could make a float in homage to your high school or college team. Not only can you station your mascot front and center on the float, but you can use streamers and balloons in the school's colors to reflect the theme. If you have a marching band nearby, you can even have them playing the school's fight song behind the float. Show your school pride and encourage your team at the next game by making a team float.
- Most large parades coincide with a big holiday, such as Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. So you could make a holiday float. Choose the holiday that the parade is nearest to, and build a float around that theme. For Christmas, you could do a Winter Wonderland, Santa's Workshop or Nativity float, while at Thanksgiving your could decorate your float with a larger-than-life turkey or a depiction of the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving. Giving your float festive appeal will put everyone in the seasonal spirit.
