In Chicago, wherever Christmas is celebrated, holiday traditions reflect
both universal themes and local color, both the spirit of giving and
snow-covered State Street. In 1913, Chicago decorated its first civic
Christmas tree, while many others arrived on the fabled "Christmas tree
ships" of the era. Holiday shoppers crowded the sidewalks in front of
stores such as Marshall Field & Company, Santa Claus held the rapt gaze
of children, and churches and charities reached out to the needy. So
Christmas was then, and so it has remained.
With a selection of fine historic images from her best-selling book
Historic Photos of Christmas in Chicago, Rosemary K. Adams provides a
valuable and revealing historical retrospective on Chicago's celebration
of America's most cherished tradition. Remembering Christmas in
Chicago offers more than 125 images of the Christmas season in the
Windy City, from festive outdoor celebrations to intimate family
gatherings. Culled from the archives of the Chicago History Museum,
these images depict the city through the years during its annual
celebration of this very special holiday, and so provide a chance to
look back in time while reflecting on the meaning of Christmas today.
