Christmas Eye Candy: The American Tradition of Christmas Decorations

Decorating for winter celebrations is an ancient tradition. The contemporary American version of the tradition comes in many forms.

1 minute read

December 25, 2019, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Baltimore, Maryland

The Miracle on 34th Street on Christmas Street Holiday Show in Hampden, Baltimore. | Jon Bilous / Shutterstock

An article by Rachel Jones digs into the work of photographer Jesse Rieser, who "has spent nearly a decade mining the exultant spasm of American Christmas decorations, and the messages they telegraph about their surrounding communities."

Rieser has collected photos from 18 states for a project titled "Christmas in America: Happy Birthday, Jesus."

The article shares a mix of those photos, from Santa playing pool to Jesus checking text messages. Then there are incredibly ornate interior decorations.

Meanwhile, the text of the article traces the tradition of decorating for Christmas back to pagan celebrations like Saturnalia in Early Rome and even further back to Ancient Egypt.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019 in National Geographic

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