Art
On Christmas morning in 1900, children woke to find toys under the tree—wooden horses, dolls, tin soldiers, and simple games. For ordinary American families, Christmas gifts marked the year's most important moment of childhood wonder and parental generosity.
Art · Full story
You rub sleep from your eyes in the cold bedroom. Downstairs, the parlor glows with lamplight. There—under the evergreen branches—a wooden horse painted bright red, tin soldiers in neat rows, a rag doll with button eyes. Your mother and father watch from the doorway, smiling.
Reflect
What toy or gift do you remember most from childhood? Why did it matter?