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scrivi al direttoreTravels in America di James Weaver
It’s always Christmas in Paradise, Pennsylvania
Un nuovo luogo a stelle e strisce tutto da scoprire grazie all’arguta penna di James Weaver. Per Natale, il famoso giornalista americano ci porta in un posto dove è sempre Natale.
Located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch (German heritage) Country in the village of Paradise, Pennsylvania, the National Christmas Center is devoted to America’s most celebrated religious holiday. Twelve permanent gallery exhibits bring Christmas to life for many thousands of visitors each year. 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 old F. W. Woolworth’s 5&10 cent store. America’s first successful “five and dime” opened in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1879. Frank W. Woolworth’s company went on to become the world’s largest retail businesses with over 800 stores in the USA. Unable to compete with modern discount stores, however, it went out of business in 1994.
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 ($13.5 million) from Frank Woolworth’s personal funds.
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.
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.
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 artist who make glass ornaments called “kugels” the earliest version of commercial tree decorations. When cheeper 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 WW II, 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.
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 a Woolworth’s lunch counter in 1960, forced the company to begin serving African Americans.
A live Santa Claus was always available at Woolworth’s to hear children’s gift requests and numerous Santa images are part of the National Christmas Center exhibit.
To learn more about the National Christmas Center, see: www.nationalchristmascenter.com. Also see: www.padutchcountry.com.
Merry Christmas!
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