The iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a beloved American tradition, found itself at the centre of an unexpected culture clash on Thursday 27 November 2025. The source of the controversy? The debut of a 16-foot-tall float featuring Labubu, the divisive furry gremlin doll from Chinese retailer Pop Mart.
A Giant Debut for a Tiny Toy
What is typically a six-inch keyring doll, often seen dangling from the handbags of fashion-conscious individuals, was dramatically scaled up for its parade premiere. The main float, titled "Friendsgiving in Pop City," depicted Labubu and her companion Mokoko—recognisable by her baby-pink fur and heart-shaped nose—embracing a skyscraper constructed from wrapped presents. This marked Pop Mart's first appearance in the prestigious parade, signalling the brand's remarkable global ascent from niche collectable to mainstream cultural fixture.
Social Media Erupts with Mixed Reactions
The giant Labubu's domination of the New York City skies proved as polarising as the doll's own design. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) immediately became a battleground for opinion.
One horrified viewer captured the sentiment of many, writing: "Why tf do they have a Labubu balloon in the Macy’s parade? I will never forgive y'all for this." Another expressed sheer disbelief, stating: "They just said on the Macy's Day Parade... ‘Up next we have the debut of Labubu followed by K-Pop Demon Hunters’.... this is not real."
The announcement of the float's arrival was enough to unsettle some, with one person noting: "The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade announcer saying ‘the debut of Labubu is up next’ sent a chill up my spine!" The underlying question for many critics was summed up in a single, despairing post: "What has the world come to?"
However, the float was not without its admirers. Defenders of the toy franchise described the spectacle as "cute" and shared images of themselves watching the parade alongside their personal Labubu collections. One fan sought to clarify the character's nature, asserting, "Labubu is not evil. A little mischievous but with good intentions."
From Handbag Charm to Cultural Lightning Rod
The doll's journey to the parade was the culmination of a year-long social media craze that propelled it to cultural ubiquity. Created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung and belonging to a tribe called The Monsters, Labubu features a fuzzy coat, freckles, rabbit-like ears, and nine spiky teeth.
Its gremlin-like appearance is the core of its divisiveness, with detractors labelling it creepy and questioning why adults would display it. The phenomenon has also spawned popular internet memes, including the viral phrase "Everything I’ve learnt about a Labubu has been against my will."
Beyond the parade, Labubu characters spent two days touring New York, with mascots spotted in the back of a black SUV, cheering at Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks games, and taking in the skyline from the top of the Empire State Building. The debut solidifies Labubu's place in the lineage of collectable characters from Asia, such as Hello Kitty and Sonny Angel, that have captivated—and divided—the internet.
