Depression-Era Holiday Decorating

Paper was readily available and could be easily crafted into decorations. Common items included paper chains, paper snowflakes, and angels made from materials like old Reader's Digest magazines.

​Families gathered items from nature, such as pine branches for garlands and wreaths, pinecones (sometimes dipped in glitter if available), nuts, and berries.

​Strings of popcorn and cranberries were a popular, inexpensive way to decorate a Christmas tree.

Old clothing, feed sacks, and fabric remnants were used to make quilts, stockings, and small ornaments. Some companies began printing feed sacks with colorful patterns to encourage reuse.

​Buttons were considered valuable and saved in "button boxes" to be repurposed for various crafts and mending. Scraps of string and elastic were saved and reused.

​Families saved candle stubs and re-melted them to make new candles. Uncoated wax candles were also used on Christmas trees.

​Ornaments were often handmade, such as felt birds, or simple stars made from sticks.

​Small, simple cardboard houses, known as Putz houses, were often made as a family activity and placed under the Christmas tree.