A Vintage Christmas – 1850s to 1950s

Clayton residents aren’t the only ones decking their halls for the holiday season. The Clayton Museum will decorate its home with ornaments and festive lights to showcase its Vintage Christmas exhibit. Walk through the museum and enjoy the decorations from years gone by.

Many of these decorations date back many decades and are interesting for adults and children alike.

Although Americans did not even begin to conceive of Christmas as a national holiday until the middle of the nineteenth century, by the 1850s the American Christmas tradition included many of the same customs and festivities as today, including tree decorating, gift-giving, Santa Claus, greeting cards, stockings by the fire, church activities and family-oriented days of feasting and fun.
The basic customs remained the same during the one hundred year span from 1850-1950.  Scientific advancements, however, led to the replacement of candles on Christmas trees by electrically lit bulbs. The settlement of the west and the railroad system made homemade gift traditions a thing of the past with stores able to carry gift items, knick knacks, and special food items for gift giving. Immigrants often held fast to their home country’s traditions thus adding new traditions and foods during this time of year.

The special exhibit “A Vintage Christmas” will feature  decorations, ornaments, music, toys, cards and cooking utensils from the past. The exhibit will open in time for Clayton’s Tree-Lighting Ceremony on Sat., Dec. 5 with special extended hours from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.

The museum is exceptionally beautiful at Christmas with each room decorated in a Victorian Christmas style. Admission is free.

“A Vintage Christmas” will be on display during the Museum’s regular hours on Sundays and Wednesdays from 2 until 4 p.m. through January 6 at 6101 Main Street in downtown Clayton. (925) 672-0242, www.claytonhistory.org