Christmas Past: What we Keep and Why it Matters

Last updated on 22 Dec 2025

I am a huge fan of the Christmas season. I love decorating, looking at the lights, making cookies, and finding the perfect gifts for the people in my life. I love the traditions and the things I can look forward to seeing every year, like the beautiful pink bauble in the photo. Those were ornaments that my mother used on her first Christmas tree as an adult, that she gave to me for my tree when I moved out. The stories behind the items are what make the season so special.

Beyond personal preference, why do these holiday items matter? They can tell us so much about culture and history, the far past or the recent history! They allow us to see how the holiday has changed, what styles have come and gone, how holidays were celebrated and enjoyed in years past. Looking at the changes of a holiday through the years allows historians to see some of how cultural importances have shifted, giving us insight into the lives of everyday people. These items also allow us to document traditions. Some traditions continue through time, like hanging stockings. Some traditions are no longer as common, like ghost stories, and some new traditions have sprouted up more recently, like the Elf on the Shelf. Christmas artifacts can also allow us to see family and community connections. How people interact with one another during a holiday or special time of year can tell historians a lot about the relationships that those people have. Finally, holiday items can help to track technology changes over the years. From candlelit trees to LEDs, Christmas highlights just how much the means we have to celebrate has changed. And it is incredible to see!

There are many examples of items that have commonly been saved throughout the years and have great value for historians of all kinds. Christmas cards are an amazing resource, they show how people were connected and they highlight some amazing art of the time! In more modern times, they often have photos that can document family change throughout the years. Cards are an amazing documentation of the holiday season, with handwriting, photos, and artwork. Photographs are another valuable resource! They can show the traditions, decor, and sense of warmth that the holiday brings out. And, personally, I love to see how Christmas trees have changed over the years!

A card sent from my parents to my Great-Grandmother in 2010, showing familial connections and family photos!

My family has a lot of decorations that have been passed down over the years. Between my husband and I, we have a whole tree of ornaments that mean something to us. From our “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments to the ornament I made this year to commemorate our wedding, we have many different ornaments on our tree. As a crafty person, there are a lot of handmade ornaments, which are special to us. But it is common to see homemade, milestone, or just classic ornaments that have been passed down through the years. These holiday decorations that we see highlight the traditions and nostalgia that Christmas holds for many people. It is a wonderful time of year to reflect on how seeing certain decorations reminds us of the past.

The ornament that I made this year out of part of my wedding dress to commemorate my husband and I's first Christmas married.

This Santa was a decoration on my grandmother's kitchen island counter for years growing up, and now I get to decorate my home with it!

In addition to cards and photos, the holiday season offers a few other unique paper artifacts. Another one of my favorites is family recipes. This year, I had the chance to make many different cookies to give out to family and friends, many of which used recipes from my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. These recipes hold nostalgia and flavors that I have enjoyed for many years! Paper programs from Christmas events are another wonderful artifact to come out of the holiday season.

This is my great-grandmother's gingerbread recipe from the 1950s!

There are some amazing ways that museums, archives, and historic organizations can use holiday items in their space. They can be used to create temporary mini exhibits, highlighting the holiday season in a specific place, time, or culture. It can be a great way to connect with the community. Showcasing Christmas items from the archive or collection can also be a great way to get some holiday engagement on social media. Sharing some of what connects an institution to the holiday is a great way to highlight the nostalgia of the traditions with an online audience. If there is enough help, the Christmas season can also be a great time of year for some special educational programming. While working for the Virginia War Memorial, I had the opportunity to host an event that allowed students to learn about what Christmas was like during World War I, and it had a great turnout!

For the World War I Christmas program at the Virginia War Memorial, I read "Christmas in the Trenches" by John McCutcheon.

Christmas is a wonderful place to start in preserving your own collection. Make sure you keep your ornaments and decorations in acid-free storage in a place that does not see lots of fluctuations in temperature. Attics and unfinished basements are not a great place to keep materials that you are looking to preserve. Cards, photos, and other paper documents can be stored in archival boxes to keep them safe for another year. Displaying them each year is a great way to enjoy them! As long as you do so in a way that is not damaging to the artifact. Keep them out of direct sun, and never use tape!

If you have a Christmas collection of your own, or you know someone who does and you are shopping for that last minute Christmas present, Curating Collections is here for you! I can help! Feel free to reach out through the contact form or via email to set up a consultation for your collection! Have a very Merry Christmas!