Page 38 2025 Home For The Holidays Lincoln Daily News Holiday Celebrations in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries While people have been celebrating Christmas for centuries, it was not until the second half of the 19th century that holiday celebrations became more common. Christmas was also becoming more commercialized around the late part of that century and became even more so by the beginning of the 20th century. A history of famous figures in Illinois says, “Christmas celebrations evolved after the Civil War, especially in 1865 in the months after the war ended. Dances became a big part of the holiday. More houses decorated with greenery, though Christmas trees wouldn’t become the norm until the 1890s. Stationary, ladies’ handkerchiefs and books were popular gifts, according to many of the advertisements that Emery has studied.” An article on 19th century holiday traditions and customs said, “for Christmas, families would often decorate their homes with simple ornaments and candles.” It was late 19th century when Christmas trees became popular, “but they were typically decorated with homemade ornaments and edible treats.” More extravagant decorations were popular as time went on. In “Christmases Long, Long Ago: The Evolution of Christmas in the 19th and 20th Centuries,” David Childs said, “By the end of the century holiday decorations became more extravagant and more prominent in homes and public spaces, including candles, wreaths, garlands, and the classic mistletoe.” Childs said, “accompanying the decorations and gifts were lavish Christmas dinners for those families that could afford to do such a thing. Popular foods for Christmases of the Victorian era included beef, veal, turkey, venison and goose, as well as chestnut pie, fruit cake and Christmas cookies.” One December 11, 1884, advertisement in The Lincoln Herald for Perdue & Burke grocery store recommends buying oysters, California peaches, mincemeat and cranberries to serve as part of Christmas dinner. As for gift giving, around this area in the late 19th century, books appear to have been popular gifts. For example, in issues of the Lincoln Herald from the 1890s, there were several advertisements with a list of books that would make good Christmas presents.
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