10 x Christmas

The fate of the Christmas tree was not much different in the 19th century than it is today, as you can see from this comic strip: it gets chopped down and decorated, and ends up as firewood.

For many households, a tree has become an essential part of Christmas. Gazette du Bon Ton, a Paris fashion magazine from the early 20th century, shows how to decorate the Christmas tree in style.

The same magazine goes on to provide fashion tips for children – although the colourfully decorated Christmas tree with toy cars and dolls attracts more attention.

This drawing of a nutcracker was an illustration for a Dutch edition of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The famous ballet is based on this story.

This statue is reminiscent of a nativity scene. Scenes from the life of Christ, including the Nativity, inspired many works of art. They were intended to inspire devotion, particularly around holidays such as Christmas.

A Christmas crib would originally have stood on the altar, with a statue of the baby Jesus lying in it. When the priest rocked the crib, the congregation would start singing Christmas carols.

In this 15th-century painting, 18 scenes from the life of Christ are shown as if in a comic strip, including the Nativity, which Christians celebrate at Christmas.

Many artists have depicted the birth and adoration of Christ, among them Rembrandt. This etching shows the adoration of the shepherds. The contrast of light and dark draws our eyes to Mary and Jesus.

This photo shows an exuberant Christmas celebration: people are walking through the picture, a costumed performance, and children are playing.

We’ve been sending Christmas and New Year’s wishes to friends, family and acquaintances for over 150 years. And now with another lockdown, the tradition seems to have made a comeback. Who are you sending a Christmas card this year?