Not only does the holiday season always bring joy but somehow it also makes us all a little bit more nostalgic than the rest of the year. Whatever the case may be, there’s no denying that a look backward may help add another heartwarming glow to all the festivities.
From the aftermath of a holiday sale at Macy’s to people in Santa costumes handing out presents, travel back in time and take a look at celebrations and preparations from years past through these fascinating vintage pictures:
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| A young Santa Claus with Christmas toys on a sled drawn by white turkeys, circa 1909. |
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| Christmas tree market, Berlin, 1899. |
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| Children looking at Christmas toys in a shop window, New York, 1900s. |
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| Christmas mail, ca. 1910. |
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| Santa Claus in an airplane, 1921. |
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| Under the mistletoe, 1937. |
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| A Christmas party in an underground shelter during World War II, London, 1940. |
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| A nurse feeding a patient with a spoonful of Christmas pudding at a naval hospital at Kingseat, Scotland, 1941. |
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| A Santa Claus balloon collapsed during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, 1941. |
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| A young boy carrying a Christmas tree home at Spitalfields Market, London, 1946. (Monty Fresco) |
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| Macy's employee cleaning up piles of debris after the Christmas shopping rush, 1948. (Nina Leen) |
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| A family decorating their Christmas tree in Yokohama, Japan, circa 1950. |
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| Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and their son, Stephen, on Christmas Eve in 1951. |
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| Vivian Vance, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and William Frawley during the 'I Love Lucy Christmas Special', 1956. |
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| Father and son shopping for Christmas, Milan, 1958. |
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| Santa from outer space. |
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| Two women display their holiday hairdos decorated with tinsel and ornaments, circa 1960. |
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| Jayne Mansfield placing the angel topper on her Christmas tree, 1960. |
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| People shopping at Saks Fifth Ave during the Christmas Season, 1962. (Yale Joel) |
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| Santa Claus parachuting into Carol City Shopping Center, Florida, 1962. (Lynn Pelham) |
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| The Kennedys on Christmas morning, 1962. |
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| Couple looking at the Christmas tree from the bank of the frozen Alster, Hamburg, 1965. (H. Schmidt-Luchs) |
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| A 'living' Christmas tree, 1971. |