At least they recycle. Along the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade route in New York on Thursday, long, white strips of confetti blew into the crowd. On one was a Social Security number. Other strips fluttered about – and on them were bits of information – some seemingly trivial, others possibly sensitive.  

Ethan Finkelstein, 18, told WPIX that a strip landed on his friend’s jacket at West 65th Street and Central Park West. Finkelstein, a New Yorker, is a freshman at Tufts University near Boston.  

“It landed on her shoulder, and she looked and it and it says, SSN and there’s a number that’s written like a Social Security number,” Finkelstein told WPIX. “And we’re like, that’s really bizarre.”

There were phone numbers, license plate numbers of undercover detectives – even information about former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s motorcade as he left Hofstra University, where he and President Barack Obama sparred at a town hall debate.

A partial seal on one of the confetti strips indicated that the records came from the Nassau County Police Department.  

"The Nassau County Police Department is very concerned about this situation," police spokesman Insp. Kenneth Lack said in a statement, according to Newsday. "We will be conducting an investigation into this matter as well as reviewing our procedures for the disposing of sensitive documents."

Also of note: The confetti, a Macy's official told WPIX, is not official Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade confetti, which is more festive – although just about anything might be more cheery than a shredded police report.  

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About 3.5 million people were expected to crowd the route of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York on Thursday while an additional 50 million watched from home.

A jetpack-wearing monkey and a freakish creation from filmmaker Tim Burton are two of the big new balloons that will make their inaugural appearances, while Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne and the Muppets are scheduled to take the stage at the end of the route in Herald Square.

Slideshow: See the colorful cast of characters taking part in the parade

Macy's parade will feature more than 40 other balloon creations, 27 floats, 800 clowns and 1,600 cheerleaders.

The parade began at 77th Street and heads south on Central Park West to Seventh Avenue, before moving to Sixth Avenue and ending at Macy's Herald Square.

The tradition began in 1924 and included live animals such as camels, goats and elephants. It was not until 1927 that the live animals were replaced by giant helium balloons. The parade was suspended from 1942 to 1944 because rubber and helium were needed for World War II.

Since the beginning, the balloons have been based on popular cultural characters and holiday themes. Returning favorites this year include Buzz Lightyear, Clumsy Smurf, SpongeBob SquarePants and Kermit the Frog.

Bike-powered balloons
Also making their first appearances at this year's parade are a pair of bike-powered balloons, one featuring a bulldog character and an elf balloon designed by Queens resident Keith Lapinig, who won a nationwide contest.

All the balloons are created at Macy's Parade Studio, and each undergoes testing for flight patterns, aerodynamics, buoyancy and lift.

The helium giants were inflated Wednesday across the street from the western side of Central Park. Thousands of people, many families with children in tow, were drawn to the spectacle of the balloons lying as if asleep on the streets, held down by weighted nets.

Standing in front of the famed Snoopy balloon, lying on its side, 8-year-old Emilio Rios said he was glad that there was something to keep the helium giant from getting away.

"Otherwise, it would float up to space, and aliens would see it," he said. "They would be the ones with the parade."

NYT: In this town, turkey picks up bill for Thanksgiving dinner

Nine-year-old Lindsay Ravetz said she loved seeing all the characters.

"It's just, like, cool," she said.

It was cool even for many of the adults. Leslie McCarthy, who said she's over 60, has been attending the parade since she was a little girl. And the excitement of seeing the big balloons hasn't worn off.

"I used to think this parade was put on for me," the Brooklyn resident said.