Christmas celebrations are reminiscent of family gatherings, the dishes we cook to receive relatives, the gifts we wrap or unwrap, and the house we decorate. Year after year, when we open the jewelry boxes, memories of our childhood come to the surface, evoking strong emotions and sweet nostalgia. Let's relive that magic by rediscovering some popular Christmas decorations from yesterday!
my Christmas tree
Little girl and her toys at the foot of the Christmas tree, 1940. Musée de la Civilization, gift of Claude Davis, 94-3060.
The information is now common knowledge: the idea of decorating a tree for the holidays originated in Germany and became popular in all Western countries starting in the 1850s. This is usually a fir or another conifer, as long as it has evergreen foliage in the form of beautiful green needles! First, we used natural trees carefully selected from the forest. Depending on what space we want it to occupy, we choose a more compact motif or, on the contrary, one with majestic branches. The tree is felled in December and is usually kept until the twelfth day, January 6th.
Excerpt from the Dupuis Frères catalog 1945-46, p. 106. Library and Archives Canada, 029006-nlc005411.
After World War II, artificial trees became common in homes. Its practical side: Above all, picking up fewer thorns from the ground! – ensures great success with these plastic firs, spruces or pines. There are metallic-looking ones too: Wisconsin-based Aluminum Specialty Company manufactured more than a million aluminum trees between 1959 and 1969, some of which were sold by mail order as far away as Quebec! Monochromatic artificial trees then appeared in the 1970s.
Eaton Christmas Catalog 1975, p. 157. Library and Archives Canada, 029006-nlc003962.
Hanging ornaments
The selection of Christmas decorations has evolved significantly over time. While the first trees bore handmade decorations such as candy, cookies, and paper garlands, the introduction of handmade ornaments in the early 20th century marked a turning point in the “art” of decorating the home for celebrations. The supply increased tenfold in the following decades, as mail-order catalogs from the 1940s and 1950s show!
Eaton Catalog, Fall-Winter 1939-1940, p. 362. Library and Archives Canada, 029006-nlc004029.
Collection of hand-blown glass ornaments, originally German, mid-20th century. Museum of Civilization, gift of Claude Davis, 96-164; 2004-114; 2008-104; 2008-106; 2008-107; 2008-135.
In the 1960s, bells, figurines and plastic ornaments became increasingly common, while in the 1970s interest in small handmade wooden decorations increased as people became interested in arts and crafts. And the decade that followed? Well, we like to mix multiple generations of ornaments in the same Christmas tree, creating an eclectic style that is not without charm!
It wasn't until the end of the 20th century that the Christmas tree became a design object. This is the time of theme trees with one- or two-color ornaments designed to harmonize with the interior design.
Let there be light!
Christmas candles, late 19th century. Museum of Civilization, 68-1932.
We know that in December the hours of sunshine decrease dramatically until the solstice, which affects many people's moods. To counteract the darkness and brighten the home before Christmas, the use of candles and small lights is both a concrete strategy and a beautiful symbol!
But the use of candles, lanterns and candles is not without danger. Everyone has heard certain tragic stories about Christmas trees that caught fire upon contact with a flame… Which did not stop some families from placing beautiful colored candles in candlesticks and even directly on the fir branches.
Eaton Catalog, Fall-Winter 1950-1951, p. 361. Library and Archives Canada, 029006-nlc003961.
With the advent of electricity, garlands of artificial light quickly became popular in homes both in Quebec and elsewhere in the West. The colors are in high demand: reds, blues, oranges, yellows and greens will be popular for much of the 1970s and 1980s. However, these lighting effects generate a lot of heat. The introduction of LEDs at the turn of the millennium (and with this technology the ability to change colors at will) renewed the pleasure of installing lights anywhere, indoors and outdoors!
Exterior decoration of a house in downtown Montreal in 1973. Photo: Henri Rémillard. BAnQ, E6,S7,SS1,D730001-1-730002-1.
Silver icicles
Close-up of Christmas tree decorations, including the famous metal icicles, December 1943. Photo: Conrad Poirier. BAnQ, P48,S1,P8778.
For many people born before the 1980s, a traditional tree inevitably includes metallic icicles. These were first made from silver in the 19th century. However, because silver tends to tarnish, it began to be made from lead, a substance that retains its shine… but has the “small disadvantage” of being poisonous. Since you only have to attach the icicles to several strands on the tree to achieve a beautiful result, attaching them is a long process. Luckily we only publish them once a year! These ice cubes have been used in Quebec homes for almost half a century.
Since the 1990s, ice cubes have been made from PVC or polyvinyl chloride, which are harmless to health. But you have to admit that they don't have the shine of their dangerous lead predecessors!
Little Bobby Luck from Montreal has fun under the Christmas tree, 1941. Photo: Conrad Poirier. BAnQ, P48,S1,P6484.
Did you say “angel hair”?
Speaking of dangerous decorations… Remember angel hair, that fine white and silky material that created a pretty effect, especially with Christmas lights? By gently stretching it, we obtained a vaporous mass that created an almost ethereal effect.
Christmas tree decorations, 1969. Two bundles of angel hair can be seen in the middle left. Many of these products have been withdrawn from the market due to their health risks. Photo: Armor Landry. BAnQ, P97,S1,D5120-5121
However, until the 1980s, the white angel hair available on the market was made of fiberglass and, in certain cases, even asbestos. At the time, we were not aware of the dangers associated with handling this material with bare hands, both to the skin and to breathing! The author of these lines still remembers the itching due to irritation and micro-cuts that inevitably followed the placement of this decoration on the tree and around the nursery!
The author of this article with her younger brother in front of the family tree in Dolbeau, December 1983. Under the tree, the whitish mass that covers the back of the Christmas “village” is made of angel hair. Private collection.
Fortunately, today angel hair is made of flame-retardant plastic fibers and is safe for human health.
He is born, the divine child
Nativity scene, early 20th century. Musée de la Civilization, gift of the Vallée family, 2011-821.
For many Christians, the nativity scene is an essential part of Christmas decorations. The small building and all its symbolic figures commemorate the birth of Christ and sit under the tree. And if we want to be completely consistent: the figure of little Jesus will not be installed there until December 25th!
Nativity scene under a Christmas tree, 1968. Photo: Armor Landry. BAnQ, P97,S1,D7403-7403.
But consistency is not always necessary. Finally, the crèche is often flanked by a village where – a Quebec adaptation requires – sheep and shepherds dressed for the hot climate of Palestine, not forgetting the camel of the Magi, meet among the snow-covered houses!
Eaton Christmas Catalog 1975, p. 159. Library and Archives Canada, 029006-nlc003962.
An article by Catherine Ferland, historian, for the Rendez-vous d'histoire de Québec. Discover or discover the hundred or so conferences on history, heritage and archeology for free on the YouTube channel Rendez-vous d'histoire de Québec. For more information visit rvhqc.com.