Bringing Christmas To Life

Permanent Galleries In Pennsylvania Host Thousands Of Visitors Interested In Most Celebrated Religious Holiday

Woolworth store exhibit, located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, features holiday merchandise from the post-World War II era of the 1940s and 50s.

Located in Paradise, in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the National Christmas Center (www.nationalchristmascenter. com) is devoted to our nation's most celebrated religious holiday. Twelve permanent gallery exhibits bring Christmas to life for thousands of visitors from throughout the nation and abroad. No matter the calendar date, every day is December 25th here.

One of the Center's most popular exhibits is devoted to Christmas shopping at the familiar old F. W. Woolworth's 5&10 cent store. America's first successful five and dime opened in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1879. It took in $127.65 (a huge amount for the time) the very first day. Frank W. Woolworth's company went on to become the world's largest retail businesses with over 800 stores in the U.S. Unable to compete with modern discount stores, however, it went out of business in 1994. The Woolworth name still exists in England and Australia, but it's a different company.

In 1880, a traveling salesman convinced a reluctant Frank Woolworth to buy a single case of glass Christmas tree ornaments for resale in his Lancaster store. People will never waste money on holiday decorations he reasoned, but to Woolworth's amazement all 144 ornaments sold in a single day at five cents each turning a profit of $4.32. From then on Woolworth's always sold Christmas decorations.

Woolworth's was one of the first stores to display merchandise for customers to handle and select without the assistance of a sales clerk. Earlier, things were kept behind a counter and customers asked for assistance. Also, Woolworth introduced the first price tags on merchandise.

The National Christmas Center's Woolworth's exhibit features holiday merchandise typical of the postwar 1940s and 50s including gift items (largely toys) and decorations for the tree and home. The retail pioneer was the first to use its main street store window to promote its merchandise. Our windows are our advertising, Woolworth said. Not surprisingly, the store window displays changed almost daily to attract the attention of passers by. The extensive collection of Christmas items are displayed in large glass front (and top) cases.

While this works well in a museum setting, the Woolworth stores had cases where all the merchandise was openly displayed within easy reach with enclosed storage space beneath. Woolworth's standard red and gold logo colors are eye catching indeed and fit will in this Christmas exhibit context.

The National Christmas Center presents the extensive personal collection (tens of thousands of artifacts) of Jim Morrison, its owner and curator. Morrison, who with his white beard resembles Santa Claus, fondly remembers his childhood experiences visiting the big department stores in Philadelphia at Christmas and the thrill of looking at window displays and the toy departments. "When I created the Woolworth exhibit I thought I was just recalling my memories, but now I realize they are everyone memories," he said. Nearly everyone who visits here finds a toy or a tree decoration they remember from their own childhood. The Center is really about memories of Christmas.

In much of the 19th century, people, except the rich, decorated their home and Christmas trees with homemade ornaments. Germany, where many of our Christmas traditions originated, had skilled craft artists who make glass ornaments called kugels the earliest version of commercial tree decorations. When cheaper versions, like those Woolworth sold, became available, many people began to use them and to save them year to year. Christmas tree ornaments are certainly one of the largest collected items in America.

The Woolworth exhibit has many examples of tree lights from the early 1950s including the fascinating bubble light which I enjoyed as a child. While tree and window lights had been in use before WWII, outdoor Christmas lights began appearing postwar. They became increasingly popular and foretold the spectacular yard displays of today.

Artificial Christmas trees, miniature, table top, and larger could be found at Woolworth's. Like today, many came already trimmed. Tinsel wreaths and garlands were popular as well as tin foil icicles. Colorful plastic ornaments, many with lights, became widely available about this time and can be seen here. Also popular were large red, folding crepe paper bells that could be hung from a doorway or chandelier.

Woolworth's was the store where you could find christmas cards, gift wrap, and gift boxes.

Many examples from the postwar period are exhibited.

Before records dominated the marketplace, stores sold piano sheet music for the top tunes of the day. Woolworth's often had a live pianist who would demonstrate the song before you made your purchase. Woolworth's was also a leader in introducing food service for its customers. The Lancaster store had an elaborate lunch room, but most stores offered only counter service. A student civil rights sit-in at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, NC, in 1960, forced the company to integrate its food service.

Toys have always been a big part of Christmas and Woolworth's had a large display of the most popular items. The National Christmas Center exhibit includes a number of examples of model trains, plus cars, trucks, and fire engines. They also show a Lone Ranger gun and holster set from the period. Items for girls include a variety of dolls, doll houses, baby buggies, and china tea sets. Also, a puppet stage and puppets, and a number of different board games, books, and mechanical toys. As a 5 & 10 cent store, Woolworth's could always be depended on for some inexpensive toys. Also, a live Santa Claus was always available to hear children s gift requests and numerous Santa images are part of the Lancaster exhibit.

The 60-story corporate Woolworth Building in lower Manhattan, New York City, (built in 1913) was the world's tallest building for 17 years. It was paid for in cash from Frank Woolworth's personal funds ($13.5 million). When Woolworth died in 1919, his company's total annual sales exceeded $107 million and his personal fortune topped $27 million.

The Woolworth Building in Lancaster, opened in 1900 (the third store location in the city), was a Palace of Retail Commerce with opulent decor and unsurpassed service. Its rooftop garden was a center of social life in Lancaster in the early years of the 20th century and once hosted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Golden Glow of Christmas Past (www.goldenglow.org) in a membership organization of persons who collect Christmas related memorabilia. The international organization publishes a newsletter and holds an annual convention. Its August 2008 convention is planned for Lancaster and the National Christmas Center. Begin your planning at www.padutchcountry.com.