'One Hundred Fifty Years of Christmas'
I call the house,
'The Christmas House'
because the only times I've been inside is when it's decked out for the public
to see decorated for Christmas.
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| The CHRISTMAS HOUSE at Christmas 2009 |
In December 2011 the house had a exhibition of 150 years of Christmas.
Sally from Alma Antique Emporium created Christmas pasts into our present day by decades.
It was delightful to see.
Some batteries issues started with my camera and my spares didn't work....so I was snapping pictures as fast as I could.
No time to waste.
Many of the pics turned out blurry.
Shucks.....hopefully you'll still take a peek into the world of Christmas from another decade.
Sally did a super job and I salute her!
Outside looking in and wondering what I'd see inside................
Christmas Cookies inside the door to greet you.
Kansas Tree just inside the door in the Foyer.
In 2011 Kansas celebrated 150 years of being a official state.
Sunflowers are our State flower.
Didn't Sally do a beautiful job at decorated this tree?
I think she did an outstanding job on all of the trees and items that were presented for the decade.
She has a wealth of knowledge that she brought into this exhibit to share with the Public.
In 2011 Kansas celebrated 150 years of being a official state.
Sunflowers are our State flower.
Didn't Sally do a beautiful job at decorated this tree?
I think she did an outstanding job on all of the trees and items that were presented for the decade.
She has a wealth of knowledge that she brought into this exhibit to share with the Public.
I snapped this pic of the foyer chandelier that graces the house......I have one exactly like it that hangs in HOME HAVEN's Dining room.
Think it's from the 30's. Real crystal.
Looking into the Foyer from the Living room.
Handsome Pillar Column.
Stairwell with Newell Post and light.
Looking from Foyer into Living room.
Like the wood columns.
Another set of these leads into the Dining room.
Beautiful wood floors.
One of the Living room windows with stained glass that looks out onto the Porch.
Looking from the Living room into the Dining room.
Looking into the Dining room from the Living room.
Dining room Chandelier.
Inside the Dining room is this cast iron heating unit fireplace mantle with mirror.
Historic Downtown Alma Presents
~150 years of Christmas~
1860
Many of our traditions came to maturity in this decade, such as Santa Claus,
decorated trees, gift giving and caroling.
The Civil War brought Christmas to a standstill for many families.
Small table top trees were decorated with what was available and few presents were exchanged.
Toys were mostly handmade and fruit was given as a gift.
1870
Hand blown glass ornaments had become a big hit.
They were imported from Germany and became a status symbol for the wealthy.
As you can see, our family wasn't very affluent.
The size of the tree was based on how many decorations were going to be put on it;
however, they remained table top.
The best toys were also from Germany.
The poor just continued in the tradition of the prior decade.
1880
This decade saw rise to the aesthetic movement and it was reflected in the Christmas trees.
They became a glorious hodgepodge of everything shiny and bright.
They had also grown in size to floor standing trees.
Tinsel was used in America for the first time.
It was decorated in garland.
The tinsel used by Queen Elizabeth was made of real silver.
Electric lights were first sold in 1882 by F.W. Woolworth.
1890
Trees were smaller and dainty. The motif was what we refer to as the Victorian Style.
Girls received pretty dolls and boys mostly got elaborate made German toys.
There was an elegance about this period.
The Columbian Exposition in 1893 is a perfect example of this decade's style.
New inventions were happening: Henry Ford tested his first automobile; James Naismith invented basketball;
Charles Sheldon published 'In His Steps';
Jello first came on the market;
and last but not least, "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus" was published in the New York Sun in 1897.
1900
A new century brought little change to Christmas, but big changes were happening during the decade.
Airplanes, automobiles and the radio were in their infancy.
In 1902 the Teddy Bear was introduced. The Wright Brothers flew Kitty Hawk in 1903.
The World's Fair was held in 1904 and was a huge success.
Albert Einstein published "The Theory of Relativity (E=MC square) ".
In 1906 William Kellogg invented Cornflakes and the first Victrola was manufactured.
Robert Peary led an exposition to the North Pole in 1909.
1910
Once again we turned to Germany to supply our Christmas decorations.
Strange looking trees with only a few straight branches were showing up.
There were feather trees and they had been popular in Europe for a decade.
The making of these trees were all hand done.
Goose feathers were dyed green and intricately wrapped around wire posts, often with red berry on the end of the branch.
These posts were inserted into a wooden 'trunk' and set in a wooden base.
Now the fancy ornaments acquired over the years could be shown off properly.
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1920
The decade saw the first lighted trees.
With the economic growth sweeping the nation,
With the economic growth sweeping the nation,
trees became larger and more highly decorated.
For the first time, more Americans lived in cities than on the farm.
The Nation's wealth more than doubled between 1920-1929.
For this young new urban mass culture it was indeed "The Roaring Twenties".
For this young new urban mass culture it was indeed "The Roaring Twenties".
Then the bottom fell out!
.1880.1890.1900.1910.
1930
The "dirty thirties" as this decade was known, were hard times for most families.
The dust bowl and the fall of the stock market in 1929 brought on the Great Depression.
Many men became migrant workers. Their camps would see makeshift trees with little decorations.
Trees in the home were also simply decorated with paper, foil, and popcorn or berries.
The decorated trees were found close to the end of the decade.
The "dirty thirties" as this decade was known, were hard times for most families.
The dust bowl and the fall of the stock market in 1929 brought on the Great Depression.
Many men became migrant workers. Their camps would see makeshift trees with little decorations.
Trees in the home were also simply decorated with paper, foil, and popcorn or berries.
The decorated trees were found close to the end of the decade.
1940
World War II had a drastic effect on Christmas.
Noma and other light manufacturers' ceased production.
After the war, great new lights came on the market, known as 'bubble lights'.
After the war, great new lights came on the market, known as 'bubble lights'.
During the war years, trees had a patriotic theme and most gift wraps were paper or wood.
The end of the decade brought cheerier trees and gifts.
The end of the decade brought cheerier trees and gifts.
1950
This was the decade of "Happy Days".
The economic conditions were good and there was little strife.
Kids played safely outside and everyone got a new bike for Christmas.
Decorating the tree was a family affair using Shineybrite ornaments.
The economic conditions were good and there was little strife.
Kids played safely outside and everyone got a new bike for Christmas.
Decorating the tree was a family affair using Shineybrite ornaments.
Department Store Santas were very popular.
Aluminum trees came out in 1959. Remember the colored lights.
The first thought that Christmas was becoming too commercialized emerged with the old-timers.
Due to the baby-boomers, this was the best decade of all.
1960
This was the chaotic decade with our President being assassinated.
Protestors and hippies were the indication of the social interest during this time.
However Christmas remained traditional.
There were bright colored decorations and the use of plastic was emerging.
The fads were ceramic trees and aluminum trees with color wheel lights.
1970
There was still unrest found in the previous decade.
However, most people turned to the values of home and family.
This was the crafty decade, as many families were making, not buying, their decorations.
Toward the end of the decade, we saw monochromatic trees,
such as white trees trimmed in blue or green trees trimmed in white.
1980
This decade saw a return to the Victorian Style.
Trees were again decorated with fans, lace and flowers in an upbeat version.
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? What's old is new again.
1990
Oh The comfort of country! This is what the 1990's were all about.
The trend was so obvious in the Christmas decor.
At Home entertainment was emerging and kids discovered a different kind of toy,
video games!
2000
Wow! A new Millennium.
The mode of entertainment changes so fast that no one can keep up.
New on the scene were fiber optic trees.
The modern family doesn't have to decorate a tree anymore,
just plug and go!
Wish so many of the pics weren't blurry, but feel very fortunate that I was able to capture the displays considering that my camera batteries were going dead. I snapped as fast as I could and got what I did.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ALMA PRESENTS ONE HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS OF CHRISTMAS WAS AN OUTSTANDING EXHIBIT and the whole town of Alma, Kansas should be very pleased and proud that this took place for the Public to tour.
I enjoyed reminiscing!
~Deanna~
