Vintage photos of celebrating Christmas in N.J. – NJ.com

Greg Hatala/For NJ Advance Media

Vintage photos of celebrating Christmas in N.J.

For children, Christmas lists generally include “must-have” gifts. You no doubt remember the ones from your childhood. And, of course children born in other generations had “top of the list” toys, too. The games, models, dolls, etc., may have changed through the generations, but the desire to find a favorite toy under the tree has remained unchanged.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, children would promise to be nice if it meant Tickle Me Elmo (1996), Furbies (1998) or Bratz dolls (2002) would be under the tree.

Those who are older will remember dreaming of Rubik’s Cube (1980), Cabbage Patch dolls (1983), Teddy Ruxpin (1985) and the Nintendo Game Boy (1991). For those who are even older will remember placing Hot Wheels cars (1968), Clackers (1971), Baby Alive (1973) and the Atari 2600 (1977) at the top of their lists.

Before that, “best-selling” Christmas toys (according to trend-chaser.com, insider.com and time.com) included the following:

• The 1950s Barbie dolls and Play-Doh, which was “born”  in New Jersey; https://www.nj.com/essex/2017/01/play-doh_a_dover_teachers_handiwork.html

• Slinky, Silly Putty and Scrabble, all ‘must-haves’ from the 1940s;

• The 1930s saw the Viewmaster, Monopoly and army men, the last two also having major Garden State roots;  https://www.nj.com/business/2013/09/made_in_jersey_army_men_made_y.html

• Tinkertoys and Radio Flyer wagons go all the way back to the 1920s, two of that decade’s hot items;

• And, 100 years ago, Raggedy Ann dolls, Erector sets and Lionel trains were in Santa’s ear constantly.  https://www.nj.com/business/2013/12/made_in_jersey_lionel_trains_-_chuggin_around_the_christmas_tree.html.

Here’s a gallery of vintage photos of celebrating  Christmas in New Jersey. And, if you have vintage photos you’d like to  see in our slide shows, send them in an email to greghatalagalleries@gmail.com.

Courtesy of the Passaic County Historical Society

In this 1963 photo taken at a home in West Milford on Christmas Day, unidentified boys are busy with their toys.

Courtesy of Cindy Louis

Santa rides on a firetruck in this photo taken on Kenwood Drive in Cherry Hill on Christmas Eve in 1962.

Courtesy of Michael Sternbach

A Christmastime sleigh ride on Woodmont Road in Upper Montclair; the photo was taken in 1947.

Courtesy of Jeanine McKeever

A Christmas party at Atlantic Products in Trenton in the early 1950s.

Courtesy of Joe Hargesh

Three little guys get a visit from Santa in Gloucester City in 1949. The two in the plaid jackets are Joe and Lou Schili; Joe Hargesh is the third.

Courtesy of Bobby Cole Photo Archives

The home of the Carabott Family in Secaucus is all decked out for Christmas in this 1965 photo.

Courtesy of Hillary Marvier

Hillary Marvier and her brothers and sisters stopped to pose with Christmas presents for this late-1950s photo at their home in Middletown.

Courtesy of the Metuchen-Edison Historical Society

From left, Erika Boeddinghaus, Maryjane Hecht, Rita Alicino, Diane Zimmer and Alison Banks — candidates for Miss Merry Christmas in Metuchen — helped decorate the borough’s holiday tree in this 1971 photo.

Courtesy of Barbara Dittrich

An unidentified youngster checks out Christmas presents in Trenton in the early 1950s. Note the tiny screen on the television at left.

Star-Ledger archive photo

Employees of Westinghouse in Newark posed for a photo during their Christmas party in 1936.

Courtesy of Anita Waleck

In this photo taken in Union City in 1963, Ben Bello is all smiles on Christmas morning.

Courtesy of Alison Crelin

Patrick Kelly of Summit plays his annual role of Santa for an unidentified child in the 1960s. Kelly was Santa in the town at various functions for 40 years.

Courtesy of Carrie Weber Hook

Carrie Weber was delighted to get an Esso sweatshirt at Christmas in Lodi in 1966.

Courtesy of newspapers.com

Even though Reuben Maxwell Jr., 8, of Penns Grove had to spend Christmas in Salem County Memorial Hospital following an accident, he received plenty of attention from his family and nurses to help make the 1952 holiday special.

Courtesy of Bobby Cole Photo Archives

Members of the Wood-Ridge Woman’s Club posed for this photo at their Christmas party in 1975.

Courtesy of Pete Putman

Identified in this photo taken in Livingston on Christmas Day in 1960 are, from left: Carl Shabica, Aunt Mary, Charlie and Stephen Shabica, Patty Murphy, Eleanor Shabica and Joanne Murphy.

Courtesy of Cathy Horan

This photo of downtown Boonton decorated for the holidays was taken in the 1960s.

Courtesy of Gary O’Rourke

Three members of the O’Rourke family are shown in Sewaren on a Christmas morning in the 1960s.

Courtesy of Jim Paxson

This photo was taken at an employee Christmas party at Captain Starn’s Restaurant in Atlantic City in the 1950s.

Courtesy of the Paramus Historical Museum

A Christmas float sponsored by Bamberger’s Department Store is shown while touring Paramus elementary schools in 1928.

Courtesy of Ken Brown

Dawn Lakomy offers Santa a lollipop while her brother, John, waits his turn at Orange Savings Bank in Hackettstown in 1972. Santa is being portrayed by assistant manager Richard Yevchak.

Courtesy of Ethan Reiss

Clockwise from lower left, Neil Shuster, Robert Beecher, Thomas Wybranski, Carolyn Miller, Arlene Clark and Brenda Szaliel decorate a holiday tree before a seventh-grade dance at Memorial School in East Brunswick in 1957.

Courtesy of Jack Simpson

This holiday greeting card picture was taken in front of the Blenheim Silk Hosiery knitting mill in Blackwood in 1946.

Greg Hatala/For NJ Advance Media

Vintage photos of toys from our past in N.J.

https://www.nj.com/news/2018/11/vintage_photos_of_toys_from_our_past_in_nj.html

Vintage photos of a ‘Merry Christmas’ in N.J.

https://www.nj.com/news/2018/12/vintage_photos_of_a_merry_christmas_in_nj.html

Vintage photos of signs in N.J.

https://www.nj.com/news/2017/11/vintage_photos_of_signs_in_nj.html