Christmas in the 1920s: A June’s Journey Holiday Party Guide
The world of June’s Journey is an exciting look at the 1920s. Players get a fascinating glimpse at how different life was back then… and how similar. In this holiday season, we wanted to dive deeper into the Christmas traditions that June and her friends would have experienced, and look for ideas on how to reshape them to throw an old-fashioned holiday party — bathtub gin not required!
Décor
June’s story takes place after World War I, and there was an atmosphere to the 1920s that captivates us today. Known for its decadence, it’s a spirited theme for a holiday party. Many of the traditions we know and love were still in place then: Christmas trees, nutcrackers, cookies, and bows. One thing you may want to leave out, however, is lighting your Christmas tree with real candles!
Probably because of this fire hazard, they would not decorate their homes until right before December 25th — a tradition many people would like to see come back! Christmas trees were cut down from your family’s land or purchased off wagons that would roam city streets.
Decorate your tree with strings of popcorn and paper snowflakes to capture the look of the 1920s. Delicate glass bulbs were also popular — as long as you had a lot of them! This era of decadence extended to Christmas trees as well. Wrapping paper had just come into existence, so under the tree would have been packages wrapped with care.
It is interesting that the color for Christmas was red — no green in sight! Also, pastels were considered very fashionable then and were often used in holiday decorating. Many people chose what we would consider a ‘Charles Dickens feel’ for their decorations, even in the United States. The tendency toward a cozy Christmas stems from the aftershock of the war. Much like today, they craved the innocence of carolers at the door and a roaring fireplace covered with garland.
Food & Drink
In addition to creating an idyllic setting, the food offered at Christmas was very Dickensian. Plum pudding and fruitcake were popular offerings. Apples, oranges, walnuts, candy canes, and raisins would have filled the stockings. Christmas dinner usually included roasted chicken with cakes and cookies for dessert. And Jell-O molds were a popular way to end the meal, although we wonder if they would have the same appeal today!
At fancier parties, the menu would include deviled eggs (recipe below), shrimp cocktail, cheeses, olive or seafood platters, spiced ham, roasted nuts, salmon mousse, Waldorf salad, turkey and gingerbread.
What 1920s themed party would be complete without champagne! Elaborate cocktails were also popular, like Gin Rickeys made from gin, lime, and soda. Mint juleps, a favorite in The Great Gatsby, contain bourbon, fresh mint, sugar syrup, and crushed ice. Mix champagne with a dash of flavored vodka and a splash of fruit juice for a delicious champagne cocktail. Serve your drinks in coupe-style martini glasses to match the time period.
Deviled eggs come in all sorts of flavors. Here’s our own recipe we tried at the office!
6 Eggs
1 small jar of Pickles
1 small jar of Mayonnaise
1 small jar of green stoneless Olives
1 small can of Tuna
Paprika to the taste
Procedure:
Boil Eggs, peel and cut them in half. Remove the hardened yolks and blend them in a bowl with the help of a fork together with tuna and mayo.
Put the blended mix of Yolk, Tuna, and Mayo back into the Egg halves.
Decorate with sliced Olives and Pickles. Sprinkle with Paprika.
Music & Entertainment
This was the age of jazz, so a fun twist for the modern day would be to find some classic Christmas songs recreated with jazz stylings. And this is the perfect opportunity for a good, old-fashioned sing-along. Take your show on the road and serenade your neighbors with holiday cheer!
Another way people in the 1920s celebrated the season was through Christmas cards. This was the era where they became very popular, and their gorgeous artwork featured Art Deco depictions that were avant-garde for the time, or they could be very traditional illustrations of children, families, and warmth. Share them with your guests as a nice way to remember the party in years to come!
Whether your party is feathers and sparkles or fireplaces and puddings, we wish you a joyous holiday! Let us know your holiday ideas on our Facebook page at facebook.com/JunesJourney!