Christmas In America At The Turn Of The 20th Century: Photos, Illustrations And Advertisements

While you celebrate Christmas – whether with a traditional meal or a Chinese feast — either way, paired with wine — we invite you to take a look at how America celebrated Christmas at the turn of the 20th century. We dug through historical archives to find photos, illustrations, and advertisements that reveal how we celebrated Christmas in the late 19th century and the early 20th century.

1873 – Christmas In The South: Eggnog Party – Harper’s Weekly

 

1891 – “Elfie’s Visit To Cloudland And The Moon” St. Nicholas

 

1897 – The Edison Home Phonograph –  Thomas Edison’s Own Photograph via Library of Congress

 

1897 – Advertisement for a “Snow Storm Machine” – Catalogue of Sunday School supplies for Christmas

 

1902 – “A Christmas Mistake” – St. Nicholas

 

1906 – “…Christmas Dinner In A Deserted Restaurant.” – Colonel Crockett’s co-operative Christmas

 

1907 – “A sled ride for the little sister” – Farmer’s Boy

 

1908 – “Sleighing is at its Best in the Suburbs” –The Suburbanite

 

1910 – “Christmas Morning in the Children’s Ward” – New York Nursery and Child’s Hospital Annual Report

 

1913 – “Santa Claus Car” in Iowa via Library of Congress

 

1915 – “A Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Grouch” – St. Nicholas

 

1915 – Gifts for boys and girls and an ‘order form’ for Santa – St. Nicholas

 

1915 – 1917 – Campbell’s Soup Christmas advertisements – St. Nicholas

 

1916 – “The Christmas Dinner” in an illustrated edition of Old Christmas by Washington Irving