History That Doesn't Suck 171: Christmas Special VIII: Festivities in the Jazz Age
Dec 2, 2024
Explore the vibrant Christmas celebrations of the 1920s, from the lavish Hotel Commodore to impactful charity efforts like Herbert Hoover's Invisible Guest dinners. Discover how Calvin Coolidge inaugurated the National Christmas Tree lighting, marking a shift from candlelight to electric cheer. Relive the festive music of the Mount Holyoke Carol Choir and Knoxville's first Santa Claus parade, capturing the spirit of generosity during a time of great change. As America enjoyed prosperity, it also began to navigate a more economical festive season after the Crash.
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Invisible Guest Dinner
- On December 29, 1920, New York City's elite attended a unique fundraiser at the Hotel Commodore.
- They dined on a humble meal of rice, bread, and cocoa, representing the plight of starving European children.
First National Christmas Tree
- President Calvin Coolidge lit the first National Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve, 1923.
- This 48-foot Vermont spruce, placed south of the White House, began a new tradition.
Holyoke Choir and Carols
- Dr. William Churchill Hammond, a Mount Holyoke professor, revived forgotten Christmas carols.
- His choir's 1925 performance at New York's Town Hall, broadcast live on the radio, expanded carols' reach.