Interesting Christmas time photo. Love the doll ornaments on the tree, wish there could be a close up of them. It looks like hankies might also be hanging from the tree, possible gifts to little girls who went to school there. At this time presents were not usually wrapped. They were just placed under the tree and no doubt had some way to identify who was the recipient. I have photos of a family Christmas somewhere along 1906 and presents were under the tree, some hanging in the tree and some sitting on a table located by the tree.As to the little bundles, my guess is that they are for students/parents and are probably an orange with a few little candies, which was much the custom at Christmas programs. I think the garlands are probably popcorn strung by the students for the event.

So sad that Christmas programs are now a no no................They were always so much fun for students to work on and Moms, Dads, Grandparents and all the rest of the family to get excited to go and see what had been worked on so hard for weeks.

Gladys on 24th December 2020 @ 7:17am

At first I thought popcorn balls because that is what we make for our kids' Christmas program but 1902 is probably pretty early for popcorn balls.
So I will agree with Gladys about the oranges. My dad said Christmas was the only time he got an orange and it was a real treat.

Happy Holidays to everyone.

L.E. on 24th December 2020 @ 7:26am

An orange must have been a wonderful treat as they had to be trucked over 1900's style roads and 1900's style vehicles from California to cold areas like ours. Roughly 1000 miles +. I wonder if, based on cost, they might be popcorn balls instead.

nails on 24th December 2020 @ 12:04pm

My guess was oranges. An orange used to be a real treat before it was so easy to move produce to remote markets.

ArthurB on 24th December 2020 @ 12:06pm

When I was in grade school (late 1960's), at the conclusion of our Christmas pageant program, every student would get a small paper bag with one orange and a few hard candies. Until now, I had not realized this was a tradition that goes back many years. Thanks for memory. Merry Christmas to all!

kmb on 24th December 2020 @ 1:00pm

Zoom in a long ways, they appear to be random, rough shapes. I'm thinking popcorn. Happy Holidaze all, and thanks again Arthur for hosting this site.

starboard on 24th December 2020 @ 1:42pm

Remember my mother telling about seeing her mother crying. Asked what was wrong, the mother said the father (a lawyer) would not give her money to buy an orange for the 3 children. So we always got orange and nuts in the bottom of our socks.

nails on 24th December 2020 @ 2:13pm

Hood River had a white Christmas in 1902. Up to 2 feet of snow fell a couple of days before Christmas, and Christmas Eve was cold and sunny.

I think this display was for more than the students. The Glacier reported, "Crapper district is preparing for another popular Christmas tree entertainment this season. They announce that they expect to have a better entertainment than ever before, and as a proof of their prosperity, will not go outside the neighborhood to solicit funds.

Make sure you check back tomorrow for a little gift from HHR...

ArthurB on 24th December 2020 @ 5:34pm

Growing up Pine Grove Grange had a wonderful Christmas program. Each child took a gift that would be suitable for either a boy or girl. Santa would coming Ho Ho Hoing (generally my Uncle Oscar Croan was the Santa. There were some readings and the entire group sang some carols. Each child was also given a bag that the grange women had put together that had an orange, a few pieces of hard candy and a few nuts. It was something that was open to the general pubic not just to the Grange families. That upstairs of that old Grand hall was always plum full of happy people that night.

Pine Grove School also had a Christmas and yes, in those days it was called CHRISTMAS and much time was put into the development of that program by principal, teachers and students. Great excitement. I don't recall if treats were given that night or not.

Pine Grove Church had a Christmas program also and it seemed like for two weeks prior to Christmas something was going on in our little community. Unlike this year nothing going on. No school programs, no Grange programs and no church programs. In this sad new world it might offend someone...........Can't buy that personally. MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL.....

Charlott on 25th December 2020 @ 7:21am