Blast to the Past - 1944 McCall's Christmas Tree

I am going to start a tradition here on www.HolidayTrees.us. Every year I am going to post a photo of a Christmas tree that is 25 years or older. I think it's a fun idea to see how society of years yore used to decorate their Christmas trees. Times have changed and with it our sense of style. I think we owe it to humanity as a whole to appreciate the way Christmas trees have changed as well.

*BLAST TO THE PAST*

Year 1944
Where: McCall's Magazine Cover

Photographer: Nikolas Muray

This very vintage Christmas tree was featured on the cover of a magazine issue titled McCall's. In case you aren't aware, McCall's was an American women's magazine that was started in the late 1800s and grew in popularity through the 20th Century. From the 1930s to the 1950s, the magazine was divided up into three sections: News & Fiction, Homemaking and Style & Beauty. (There was also a fourth section titled "Guns & Fashion" but it was proven to be not as popular with the readers and so was dropped).

But this being a website on holidays, I really just want to focus on the Christmas tree that McCall's put on it's cover for the December 1944 issue. Let's take a look at it.

What I find most telling on when this photo was taken is the shape of the tree. It doesn't have the perfect triangle shape many tree buyers look for does it? Almost like they got it straight out of a forest rather than a Christmas tree farm. The other telling thing is the garland which is put on in a dramatic sweeping style. People nowadays tend to put them in more of a swirling fashion. (Click here and go down to the third photo to see what I mean).

Also, the colors are very subdued. Lots of earth greens and reds. Most of the sparkly look comes from the excessive use of vintage tinsel.

Speaking of tinsel, did you know that it used to include lead because it made the strands heavier and thus easier to work with? For some STUPID reason they stopped adding this very important element and now we are left with the sticky and fickle tinsel that we know today.

Anyways, back to the Christmas tree. Despite my critical take on the decorations, I actually love this 1944 photo. We can look back and laugh at the tree that is not quite as sophisticated by today's standards but really, you should judge the tree in the context of it's time period. By doing so you will see that it is a lovely photo highlighting what a Christmas scene in a middle class home would look like in the forties. A quick glance over the wooden toys is a testament to the simplicity of a child's playtime and even life in general. It's enough to make anyone want to gather their family and go open presents around the 1944 McCall's Christmas tree.





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