What Was The Holiday Season Like 100 Years Ago In 1919?
It'll be a fresh start in a brand new decade, and we’re feeling just as eager to get into the new year as the people were, back in 1919 as they awaited the arrival of the 20's.
It’s interesting to think that far back and wonder what the holiday season was like for our ancestors, living in the United States. While there were many things that were very different back in 1919, some things remain the same as today, in many ways!
From similarities like loved ones gathering together and exchanging gifts, to differences like sending holiday greetings via the postal service, not Snapchat, we’re here to share some of the highlights with you! Enjoy!
Let’s Take A Look At What The Holiday Season Was Like 100 Years Ago In 1919:
*** The United States as a County:
- A century ago, Woodrow Wilson was the President.
(*) He had suffered a massive stroke just in Oct. of 1919, which is when he was left partially paralyzed.
- World War I began in July 1914, and it changed everything about Christmas that year, including years after it ended in Nov of 1918. (*By Christmas of 1919, many effects of the war were still felt in the economy, not to mention the devastation of loss and injury, by everyone that war affected, which was just about everyone in some way).
- (January 1918 – December 1920) Many had died, and were continuing to die from the Spanish Flu (some 675,000 Americans)
- December 21 – The United States deports 249 people to Russia, during the Red Scare.
( https://www....war/red-scare )
*** Holiday Traditions:
- Milk and Cookies were left out for Santa, just as we do today!
- Last minute Christmas shopping was still hectic! Even though the population was much smaller than it is today, the hustle and bustle of department stores and other shops were still a thing in 1920.
- Kissing under the mistletoe was a tradition during this time.
- Popular Christmas songs included ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘The First Noel’
Decorations:
- Real stockings (worn in fashion) were being hung on the mantel or wall.
- The biggest color of the Christmas season throughout the 1920s was RED.
Green was rarely featured.
- This era featured non-traditional colors for Christmas, such as fashionable pastel colors like: lavender, pale robin’s egg blue, cream and rose.
- The traditional tree decorations included stringed popcorn, pine cones, red and green ropes (purchased at the store) or homemade paper chains. Snowflake cutouts and tinsel icicles were also used.
*** The Food:
- A traditional Christmas dinner usually included roast chicken rather than turkey or ham. And —
- Desserts included small cakes, sugar cookies, and cookies with pastel colors (or marshmallow) icing on top… Jell-O, of course!
- People did drink egg nog as a festive holiday drink.
*** Women’s Fashion:
- Silk blouses were a big trend; They fit loosely,with wide round necklines and details of embroidery or pintucks. They were quite colorful, as design inspiration came form the orient.
- Velvet was also one of the largest trends, mainly being made into dresses and coats for elegant dinners and parties.
- For traveling, a suit of two matching pieces, coat and skirt, was worn. Comfortable and warm!
- Winter hats of velvet, fur, and wool felt were small and round in shape.
- Nearly all women wore lace up or button up walking boots. At home a pair of heeled pumps were worn as well. Black, brown, Ivory and two tone patterns.
*** New Year's Eve
(The Ball Drop):
Revelers began celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square as early as 1904, but it was in 1907 that the New Year's Eve Ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square. Seven versions of the Ball have been designed to signal the New Year!
The Times Square ball drop for New Year’s Eve began in 1905, and was initially constructed from wood and iron, and lit with 100 incandescent light bulbs; This ball weighed 700 lbs. In 1920 they made the second version of the ball, which was a little bit lighter, made completely out of wrought iron (seems like it would be heavier but it was in fact lighter, weighing 400 lbs).
Fireworks were around in 1919 and 1920 and that is a common way to ring in the new year in some parts of the country!
(Celebrations With Alcohol):
- New Year’s Eve 1919 fell immediately before Prohibition when into effect.
- Prohibition in the United States was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933.
- Upon being approved by a 36th state on January 16, 1919, the amendment was ratified as a part of the Constitution. By the terms of the amendment, the country went dry one year later, on January 17, 1920, so just 17 days after our ancestors rang in the year 2020, the US went dry.
*** New Year's Day
(Resolutions):
People still made their new year’s resolutions and saw the first of the year as a fresh start, just as we do today. January 1st 1920 was a big deal, because it was the start of a whole new decade, and people were still looking for relief from the effects of the war on mental and physical health, as well as the economy.
(Superstitions):
- You may have heard that eating black-eyed peas on January first will bring you luck, all year long, and has been around for hundreds of years, so yes, many people carried out this tradition in 1919/1920!
- Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s has been considered good luck for at least 1,500 years. According to a portion of the Talmud written around 500 A.D., it was Jewish custom at the time to eat black-eyed peas in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (which occurs in the fall). It is possible that the tradition arrived in America with Sephardic Jews, who first arrived in Georgia in the 1730s.
- A well-known Southern tradition of black-eyed peas with pork, cornbread, and greens has been passed down for decades.
When it comes to the greens, any variety of cooked greens will do, but the most common choices are collard, turnip, or mustard greens. Golden cornbread is often added to the Southern New Year’s meal, and a well-known phrase is, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.”