December 17, 2025
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry presents more photographs of past Christmases in America. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Let’s continue looking back at the many years of Christmas past in photos from GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives, Library of Congress, and other collections. (For the first batch of Christmas photos, see Part 1.)
1910: Reynolds Family Christmas
I begin with a Christmas photo of the Reynolds family taken in Paloma, California, in 1910. I am researching the family collection so please check back in the New Year for posts.
In this photo we see, left to right: Samuel Reynolds III (1892-1977); his sister Elinora J. Reynolds (1900-1979); their mother Susan Baumgardner (Eberman) Reynolds (1868-1936); and their father Samuel Henry Reynolds II (1866-1935).
1916: A Christmas Tree and Sister Mamie Curtis, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, New Gloucester, Cumberland County, Maine
This photo was taken in the Meeting Room of the Dwelling House, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Maine, at Christmastime.
From the Sabbathday Lake Church Journal:
“We were gladdened this morning by the children singing Christmas carols all around the family before breakfast. Tonight, we have a beautiful Christmas Tree. The photographs and paintings are being given as Christmas presents. All day was one round of joyousness and every heart here was made glad and happy. Before the gifts were distributed the young people gave us another very lovely entertainment: marches, pantomimes, recitations and songs.”
1920s: Indian Church
This is a photo of Christmas celebration at the Mechoopdia Indian Church, Chico Rancheria, Chico, California.
1933: Christmas – It’s All About the Kids
In 1933 an Indiana newspaper shared some cherished photographs of children at Christmastime.
Here is a photo of the gravy master.
The photo caption reads:
Workers of the Volunteer Rescue Army who served scores of children a Christmas dinner Saturday learned that five-year-old Rolland Bradley knows his gravy. Here he is giving advice on how to mix it to Elizabeth Surface, left, and Mrs. Henry Durham, captain.
Santa came to a party for children of the unemployed during the Great Depression.
The photo caption reads:
Six hundred children of the unemployed were guests at the annual Christmas party given Saturday afternoon by the civics and philanthropy department of the Progress Club in the clubhouse. Santa Claus seems to have been telling (left to right) Bobby Hoenn, Nila Wertz, and Kathryn Casey an interesting story when the photographer snapped them.
Carol Broadwell’s birthday is Christmas Day.
The photo caption reads:
Nine-year-old Carol Broadwell observes her birthday on the same day as the Christ-child. She was born on Christmas day. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Broadwell, 407 West Lasalle Ave.
Beverly Gilman’s fairy magic lit the Christmas tree.
The photo caption reads:
Little Miss Beverly Gilman plays the part of the fairy about to light the Christmas tree with her magic wand in this picture taken during a Franklin School Christmas program. Others in the picture are Kathryn Rittinger, Leo Cunningham, and George F. Pfaff.
1954: Spanish-American War Vets Get Early Christmas
In 1954 a Texas newspaper visited a veterans’ home to cover the holiday and featured a photo of one vet who shared some colorful history.
The photo caption reads:
William E. Gilreath, Spanish-American War veteran and former Texas Leaguer, and pretty Jean Eck, staff nurse, inspect a manger display in the Lisbon Veterans Administration Hospital main lobby – part of the trimmings prepared for the patients’ Christmas. All patients there Thursday will receive gifts – and a big turkey dinner on Christmas Day.
This article reports:
“He’s the belle of the ward – he’s our pet patient,” said pretty Jean Eck, 22, a staff nurse [about the 77-year-old William Gilreath].
Gilreath’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “I don’t think these young nurses are flappers at all,” he said.
“I was born and raised around Cartersville, Ga., and was 21 when I began totin’ a Springfield rifle in that war,” said Gilreath. “After the war I was a professional ball player, a right-hand curveball pitcher. I had a curve ball they couldn’t none of them do nothin’ with.”
The gray-haired veteran peered sharply and said, “I pitched in Dallas about nineteen-ought-four. You kin look it up.”
Sure enough, Texas League records show that Will Gilreath pitched for Corsicana in 1904 and Temple in 1905, when those towns were members of the Texas League, along with Dallas.
Also mentioned in the write-up was Otto J. Wagner, 73, another veteran of the Spanish-American War who served in the 5th Cavalry.
1970: Giving and Receiving Christmas Joy
The American Legion was giving Christmas joy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1970.
The photo caption reads:
Preparing to Give – American Legion Post No. 171 gave out food baskets this Christmas to various needy families in the city. Shown Thursday as the baskets were prepared are, left to right: Leonard Robinson, 3rd District adjutant; John Holmes, commander of the post; Levern Moore, first vice commander; Bobby Ward, adjutant; Frank Badley, assistant adjutant; and Raymond Bowden.
A Christmas package drawing brought more joy to Chattanooga.
The photo caption reads:
Hackney’s Christmas Package Drawing – A Christmas package drawing was held Wednesday at Hackney’s at 309 N. Market St., with six prizes to be given away. Pictured at the drawing are, left to right: Mrs. Phil Bellenfant; Kim Bellenfant; and Shannon Arthur, who drew the winning numbers; and Phil Hackney of Hackney’s.
1983: The Reagans’ Christmas
Naughty or nice? Mrs. Nancy Reagan sits on Santa Claus’s (President Reagan) lap at a Christmas Eve party at the Wick residence in Washington, D.C., 24 December 1983.
Merry Christmas!!!
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Note on the header image: Merry Christmas display. Credit: https://depositphotos.com/home.html
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