Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, with some people struggling and many counting their blessings in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

Airports, train stations and highways have been busy across America as millions of people made their way home to reconnect with family and friends for the holiday.

However some reunions may be bittersweet because of the damage and displacement caused by last month’s extreme weather.

Slow post-recession growth also continues to take a toll on Americans’ finances as they mark their biggest national holiday.

More people were forced to jump onto buses or into their cars to make long journeys, with airlines this year offering fewer and more expensive flights due to a jump in jet fuel prices.

Those hitting the roads also faced high fuel prices and rising tolls.

US Thanksgiving Day: New York Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

In New York, whose outer boroughs were ravaged by Sandy, the popular Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was on as usual, with its traditional audience of more than three million people on the streets of Manhattan and 50 million watching on television.

This year, the giant balloons included Papa Smurf and a new version of Hello Kitty alongside old favourites.

Other major cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Detroit also planned showy marching bands, cartoon character balloons, and musical extravaganzas.

But for some, the once-sacrosanct harvest feast now starts the holiday shopping season – and store openings keep getting earlier.

Black Friday now starts on Thanksgiving Day itself at many national stores and some shoppers eagerly race from their dinner tables to line up for bargain-priced toys or electronic devices.

But the holiday came as portions of the Northeast were still reeling from Superstorm Sandy’s havoc, and volunteers planned to serve thousands of turkey dinners to people it left homeless or struggling.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said his office would coordinate the distribution of 26,500 meals at 30 sites in neighbourhoods affected by Sandy, and other organisations were also pitching in.

US congressman Gregory Meeks, whose New York district includes the heavily battered Rockaways neighbourhoods, said he planned to stop by Thanksgiving dinners at three churches and a school.

“They are still giving thanks,” Mr Meeks said of his constituents. “They are thankful that they’re alive and thankful to the people who are coming to help them.”

So what we can say more Happy Thanksgiving day America

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