18 Vintage Christmas Eve Photographs That Are a Blast From the Past
Take a walk down memory lane with these snapshots of "Christmases long, long ago"...
If you just aren't feeling the seasonal spirit quite yet, we've got a guaranteed remedy: take a good, long gander at the truly dazzling vintage photos of Christmas Eve we've collected below. There's just something about historical holiday images that brings on all the festive feels. It's the same nostalgic, homey vibe that listening to old-school seasonal music brings—or decorating with throwback ornaments, or even dishing out your "roast beast" on retro Yuletide dishware. (And, while we're at it, let's not forget serving up delish and tradish wassail in old-timey Christmas glassware.)
The following 18 images all show traditional Christmas Eve activities, from reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, to leaving cookies for Santa, and visiting a live Nativity scene. We've included vintage photos from 1910 (wait until you see what women wore ice skating!), on through to 1981, and almost every decade in between.
We drop in on a swanky, 60s Christmas Eve cocktail party, visit the legendary Rockefeller Center tree in New York City, and even see one of America's finest presidents on his way to church services. If your heart doesn't grow "three sizes" after scrolling through these pics, you might want to double-check that you haven't morphed into the Grinch!
Trimming the tree
Back in the day, it was common for American families to decorate their trees on December 24th, in preparation for the 12 Days of Christmas, which begin on Christmas Day. It's a custom that probably got its start thanks to German immigrants, who brought the Christmas tree to this continent. (Tinsel hit its zenith in the 1950s, when housewives apparently dressed to the nines for tree trimming duty.)
Related: How to Decorate the Perfect Christmas Tree in 3 Steps
Opening the stockings
Another old-school Christmas Eve tradition is opening either one present or "the stockings hung by the chimney with care," as this adorable throwback action shot proves.
Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
The famous Rockefeller Center tree has been a symbol of American Christmas spirit for almost a century, since the first one was erected by construction workers in 1931. The tree, shown here in the 1950s, attracts as many as 750,000 visitors to see it annually, including many folks on Christmas Eve, when it's lit for a full 24 hours straight. Organizers have chosen a Norway spruce as the tree every year since 1982.
Related: The 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Has Been Selected: “Perfection!”
Cocktail party
In the 1960s, swanky, stylish cocktail parties were all the rage, even (and maybe especially) on Christmas Eve. The women wore dresses, the men wore ties, and the eggnog was always spiked.
Related: Peppermint Eggnog Recipe
Sledding
No matter if it's 1955 or 2025, if you're lucky enough to have a white Christmas, you better hit those hills! These sisters, who might be on their way to deliver a few presents, certainly look like they're loving their sledding adventure. We bet Mom had some hot chocolate ready and waiting for them when they headed home.
Snowman
You gotta love a classic snowman for Christmas Eve, like the one this little boy made in 1935. His Frosty not only features a pipe and a dapper chapeau, but "two eyes made out of coal."
Related: How to Build a Snowman: 5 Easy Steps to Build the Perfect One Each Time
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" reading
This image from the 1960s captures a picture-perfect family reading the Christmas Eve classic, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. It's an activity that has never gone out of style, although since its 1985 publication, The Polar Express has also become a popular option for holiday storytime. Either way, we can't think of a better way to send everyone off to bed.
Related: 30 Best Christmas Books of All Time to Read with Your Kids
Caroling
Is there anything cuter at Christmastime than chubby-cheeked kiddos bundled up in knit caps and scarves caroling? Judging by this darling black-and-white photo from the 1950s, we think not!
Matching PJs
Waiting on the big guy to arrive is a little easier when the whole fam is wearing matching Christmas pajamas, like these three little boys in this sweet shot taken in 1965. According to historians, American families first began wearing matching Christmas jammies in 1957, when department store catalogs started showing Mom, Dad, and the littles all dressed in the same festive holiday sleepwear.
Skating
If this beautiful photo from 1910 is any indication, there may be nothing more romantic than ice skating on a frozen pond with your sweetheart on Christmas Eve.
Cookies for Santa
This image of a little girl pictured with cookies and milk for Santa dates to 1963. But the custom of leaving treats for St. Nick has roots in the Great Depression, when American parents initiated it as a way of teaching their children both gratitude and the importance of sharing with others. Meanwhile, in Sweden, kids put out porridge for Santa, while in Ireland, he usually gets a glass of Guinness!
Related: Make Reindeer Food Cones for Santa's Team on Christmas Eve
Baking Christmas cookies
Of course, baking your own cookies on Christmas Eve (whether you leave a few for Santa or not) is a wonderfully cozy activity. This little girl DIYed her cookies from scratch in 1931.
Related: 75 Christmas Cookie Recipes to Fill Out the Holiday Table
Gingerbread house
Chances are, if you're whipping up a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve, it won't be quite as imposing as this edible edifice First Lady Nancy Reagan showed off in the White House's State Dining Room back in 1981. But no matter the size or style, a gingerbread abode is always a welcome addition to the Yuletide.
Related: 35+ Best Gingerbread House Ideas
Visit with Santa
Okay, so not every child who gets a chance to meet the Chimney CEO enjoys the experience. This little girl was none too happy with her Christmas Eve visit to a New Jersey Santa in 1964. Maybe it was the realllllly bad beard? According to sources, the department store Santa tradition began in Philadelphia in 1841.
Roasted chestnuts
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" is an enduring and iconic holiday image, thanks to "The Christmas Song," a classic written in 1944. The piping hot treats were certainly big business in 1946, as crowds lined up to buy them from street vendors everywhere.
Turkey dinner
Nowadays, families might make a tradition out of takeout on Christmas, opting for doing a big, elaborate dinner the following day. But historically, loved ones often gathered on the 24th for meals of turkey, prime rib, baked ham, or other hearty delicacies, like the group seen in this photo from 1965.
Nativity scene
Visiting a live Nativity scene on Christmas Eve is a meaningful way to spend the evening. In this photograph from 1976, choir members sing in front of a living Nativity presented by the King of Glory Lutheran Church in Arvada, Colorado.
Church services
Like so many Americans, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served in the Oval Office from 1933 until 1945, made time to attend Christmas Eve services. Here, he is pictured arriving at St. Thomas Church with Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt and his mother, Mrs. Sara Delano Roosevelt.
Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania who has written for websites and publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Country Living, Washingtonian, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network. Jill is the travel editor for Enchanted Living. Learn more about her journey at gleesonreboots.com.
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