Sixty years of vintage Christmas
1940-2000
Earlier this year, the Taste of Home website ran a fun vintage feature that included 60 years worth of vintage Christmas images, one for every year between 1940 to 2000, which demonstrate visually how the holidays have changed over time. Check out this fun feature, which includes the 1940 Christmas photo you see above.
Macy’s Department Store, 34th Street, New York City
1946
When referencing the term “vintage Christmas,” I always think first of the department store window displays that have traditionally kicked off the holiday shopping season in cities and towns across America. And the king of all window displays remains Macy’s Department Store, particularly at its flagship store on 34th street in New York City. The photo above, taken by the Associated Press on December 24, 1946, captures Macy’s holiday display during the time when the movie Miracle on 34thStreet was filmed in and around their department store. Macy’s window display theme that year focused on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.
Originally a dry goods store selling home goods, Macy’s opened its New York City location in 1858. Like many department stores of its time, Macy’s eventually began using its street-facing windows to market its products during the holidays. Their first New York window display appeared in 1874 and featured a collection of dolls posed in different scenes from the book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Eventually, Macy’s began developing themes for their windows, which quickly became a tourist attraction for residents and those visiting the city during the holidays.
Donaldson’s Department Store in Minneapolis
Circa 1950s
Donaldson’s, also known as William Donaldson and Company and L. S. Donaldson’s, was a Minneapolis department store located on Nicollet Avenue and Sixth Street.
Started by two immigrant brothers, the company grew to be one of the major retail chains in the Twin Cities, rivaling Dayton’s for much of the twentieth century.
Donaldson’s became more than a department store, but a public center that hosted civic and cultural affairs and provided a venue for fashion shows, art collections, special exhibits, Christmas programs, and lectures.
By 1987, Donaldson’s had 12 stores across Minnesota but was struggling to compete against Dayton’s. Chicago merchandiser Carson Pirie Scott bought the company and changed its name to Carson’s.
