Parades, games, movies, marathons and critters are the hallmarks of a holiday overstuffed with oversized programming choices.

The day kicks off with the live broadcast of the 81st Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (8 a.m., NBC). “Today” hosts Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer have to work the holiday away from home to anchor the proceedings. Balloons making their inflated debut include “Sesame Street’s” Abby Cadabby, Hello Kitty’s “Supercute” and Shrek.

¢ The parade gives way to “The National Dog Show” (11 a.m., NBC) a “best-in-show” event that has become a Thanksgiving tradition. More than 150 breeds strut their stuff. Or, as we say in our house, pugs and 149 other breeds.

The newly sanctioned breed the Tibetan Mastiff will make its “Dog Show” debut. Look for John O’Hurley (“Dancing with the Stars”), now in his sixth year with the dogs, along with canine expert David Frei.

¢ Spike celebrates the gluttonous side of Thanksgiving with “MLE Chowdown: The Turkey Bowl” (10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Spike). MLE stands for Major League Eating, a league of competitive gobblers.

In today’s contest, hot dog-eating rivals Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi will be striving to set a world turkey eating record. The goal: to devour a 20-pound butterball in eight minutes. Don’t do this at home, kids.

As in any great bout, there is an “Undercard.” Up-and-coming gluttons will engage in a spirited bout of competitive cranberry sauce guzzling.

¢ Caught between the kitchen and your favorite movie? “Cooking with Costner” (11 a.m., WE) features a presentation of the 1990 Western “Dances with Wolves” shot through with mini-commercial cooking tips on keeping the bird moist in the oven and making the perfect stuffing.

¢ For those who prefer their kitchen nightmares a little more high-strung, there’s an eight-episode “Top Chef” (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Bravo) marathon.

¢ The repeat documentary “Thanksgiving Unstuffed” (noon, National Geographic) looks at the origins of holiday traditions and debunks myths and legends about Thanksgiving. It’s the first installment of a 14-hour “America’s Wild Spaces” marathon.

¢ For some, Thanksgiving merely serves as a prelude to a Friday shopping binge, a Black Friday’s eve for the eager consumer. “Cool Tools: The Hardware Show” (9 p.m., DIY) showcases those must-have gifts for the handyman or woman, including: a portable, wearable power source; a flexible wrench for inaccessible places; a carbide blade strong enough to saw through brick; a portable easy-to-store workbench; and a motorized cooler. Editors from “Popular Mechanics” show up too, with the tools that won their Editor’s Choice Awards.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ A retired suburban superhero (Craig T. Nelson) leads his family to new adventures in the 2004 animated fantasy “The Incredibles” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller compete in the 2004 sports spoof “Dodgeball” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ Wilhelmina sparks a crisis that threatens to scuttle the next issue of Mode on “Ugly Betty” (7 p.m., ABC). Eliza Dushku guest stars

¢ The repeat 41st annual CMA Awards (7 p.m., CMT) fete the best in country music.

¢ Hodges fakes homicides to give his lab a workout on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS)

¢ Meredith and the chief rush to an ambulance crash on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ An ultimate fighter vanishes on “Without a Trace” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Hannah mulls her feelings for Nick on “October Road” (9 p.m., ABC). This drama, exhumed from last spring’s schedule, will air Mondays after tonight.