171: Christmas Special VIII: Festivities in the Jazz Age

“There is a million dollars here for the asking!” This is the story of Christmas in the 1920s. Yeah, the whole decade—why not? One hundred years ago, people were just beginning (or reviving) traditions that are entrenched in our holiday celebrations today. Charitable giving at Christmas is ever present, and the winter of 1920 features the Great Humanitarian Herbert Hoover’s efforts to feed children in Europe with his “Invisible Guest” dinners. Another president, “Silent Cal” Coolidge, holds the first National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1923, cementing electric tree lights into our celebrations. And carols on the radio are coming into full swing, with live broadcasts from musicians like the Mount Holyoke Carol Choir. And who can forget America’s proud tradition of consumerism? Ok, that didn’t start in the 1920s, but this is definitely the decade for some really swell presents. The Great War is over, wages are high, and it’s time to buy! Santa Claus himself appears at a 1928 Knoxville parade through the streets and stores, delighting children and business owners alike. After the Crash, Christmases get a bit more economical, so let’s celebrate while we still can. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com https://www.htdspodcast.com/ and go deep into episode bibliographies https://www.htdspodcast.com/bibliography and book recommendations https://www.htdspodcast.com/book-recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community https://www.facebook.com/groups/257926761619618/ get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette https://www.htdspodcast.com/newsletters-1 come see a live show https://www.htdspodcast.com/tour get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium https://htds.supercast.com/ member for bonus episodes and other perks.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Greg Jackson?

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• 0:45Greg Jackson?

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• 1:46Greg Jackson?

  It's a frigid winter's night, December 29th, 1920. And we're on 42nd Street in New York City at the newly built Hotel Commodore. Yes, the Hotel Commodore, not the Hyatt Grand Central. Future generations will know this impressive midtown building, connected to Grand Central Station by the ladder name, and envision it with a reflective glass facade. But those renovations are decades down the road. Right now, on this cold winter's night, the 26-story, 2,000-room Hotel Commodore is covered in a beautiful red brick as New York City's well-bundled but likewise well-dressed elite make their way inside.

• 2:27Greg Jackson?

  But it's a curious sight as tonight's guests enter the gilded grand ballroom. Here they are, nearly a thousand of the Big Apple's uber-rich and high society. Men in full dress, women in evening gowns adorned with sparkling jewels, each dining at a $1,000 per dinner plate. And yet, there isn't a tablecloth to be seen. No, in front of them lie rows of unpainted wooden tables. As they approach, each guest picks up their own tin dish. That's right, no china nor silver tonight. From tables at the end of the ballroom, Red Cross nurses serve a humble meal. A small helping of rice, two slices of unbuttered bread, and a meager portion of cocoa.

• 3:12Greg Jackson?

  At the head of the table, in the place of honor, is an impressive chair. Yet, it's empty, as is the tray before it, save for a tall, flickering, callow candle. The empty seat of honor is intentional. It represents this evening's invisible guest, someone who cannot be present today. The undernourished child of Europe. Okay, this sounds pretty dramatic, and that's intentional, of course. In fact, let's pause a moment and get some background. This paradoxically humble, $1,000-a-plate dinner is a fundraiser. The man behind it is 1920s America's favorite humanitarian whom we met in the last episode, Herbert Hoover.

• 3:55Greg Jackson?

  Brilliant organizer that he is, Bert has convinced several well-established charities, like the Red Cross, the YMCA, the Knights of Columbus, and the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, to team up to form the European Relief Council. Together, they mean to feed and care for the millions of starving children in Europe still suffering amid the aftermath of the recent Great War. I know, it's so Bert Hoover. The man who fed Belgium during the war, and now, the current head of the American Relief Administration. He's managed to write articles and press releases, as well as speak all across the nation in an effort to advertise for the European Relief Council. His committee runs ads in the papers, asking that, quote,

• 4:36Greg Jackson?

  "Every American family receives some number of these children as invisible guests at their Christmas table, to give us the money that we may buy on their behalf food, clothing, and medical help." Presently, they're trying to secure enough funds to feed six to seven million European children this winter, hence this evening's thousand-dollar price tag for each 22-cent meal. The rice, bread, cocoa special is a typical Hoover luncheon, exactly what they're feeding the kids overseas. These adults are getting 963 calories, though, which is double the usual child-sized portion. And now the trip to speed. Let's get back to our modest meal.

• 5:16Greg Jackson?

  Sitting on either side of the invisible guests' empty chair are the evening's two hosts. One is the ruddy, round-faced Herbert Hoover, now sipping on his cocoa. The other is the commander of the Great War's American Expeditionary Force. Yes, our old friend, General Blackjack Pershing. Recently elevated to the newly-created rank of General of the Armies, the grain, mustachioed general sits in full military uniform, his medals glistening in the candlelight as he bites into his unbuttered bread. Two humble men humbly eating. It's a powerful scene. As Edward V. Rees will describe it in tomorrow's Brooklyn Eagle, "It was a picture long to be remembered.

• 6:00Greg Jackson?

  On the one hand, the man who cradled Belgium in his arms, the leader in the work of building up the broken bodies and gaunt frames of Europe. On the other, the soldier who led the American armies to victory on the plains of France. And between the two, the vacant chair of the hunger-stricken children with its fitfully burning candle. The impression which the two men and the empty chair drove home was tremendous." I know, every bit as eloquent as his muckraking father, Jacob, whom we met in a past Christmas special. Those Reesemen just have a way with words. Anyhow, with little to eat in the first place, most guests are done with their meals within 15 minutes, and an evening program soon begins.

• 6:45Greg Jackson?

  We can't say for certain what the sequence of events is, but at some point, a reel plays, and a series of flashing images appears on a large screen set up at one end of the ballroom. We see kids eating soup, sometimes spilling on themselves, but all the while smiling for the camera. Those sweet pictures contrast starkly to the heart-wrenching images of sickly thin children with their arms outstretched, seemingly begging the wealthy guests to help them. The program includes speeches, and naturally, our two famous hosts are among the speakers. Blackjack has a few brief words. Having witnessed the worst of the war, the nation's foremost soldier takes this opportunity to plead for the limitation of armaments.

• 7:26Greg Jackson?

  It is time for enlightened peoples to profit by the experience of the six terrible years we have been through and take steps to prevent war. The war-sick crowd couldn't agree more. Ladies and gentlemen rise to their feet in thunderous applause. Meanwhile, when almost six-foot-tall and husky Herbert Hoover addresses the crowd, he drives home the discrepancy between American prosperity and European need. Fellow Americans in service, if there is any hunger or cold in America this winter, it is due to either the foolish functioning of the social, economic, or political system. There might be some excuse for gloom if the situation here was that of any of the nations

• 8:08Greg Jackson?

  of Eastern or Central Europe, where there is but five to seven months' food supply, with the harvest eight months away. There are nearly seven million automobiles in the United States, and we have but three-and-a-half million invisible guests. So long as any person in this nation can entertain a motorcar, he can entertain an invisible guest. The photos, these speeches, and still others, it's all so poignant. At some point, as the program continues, an unknown gentleman suddenly rises and calls out, "There is a million dollars here for the asking." Well, this is a little awkward. The invitation specifically stated that the organizers wouldn't solicit any contributions beyond the $1,000 a plate admission.

• 8:53Greg Jackson?

  Bert reminds the audience of this, politely refusing the generous call. But the unknown man is undaunted. He rises again, more insistent this time, proposing that Bert proceed with a collection. The crowd enthusiastically carries the motion. The collection goes around, and as it passes, through the hands of these A-lister New Yorkers, like Samuel Sacks, the co-founder of Goldman Sachs, Andrew Carnegie's widow, Louise Carnegie, and Ralph Pulitzer, the son of the now-deceased but famed world newspaper proprietor, Joseph Pulitzer. The unknown man's prediction does indeed prove accurate. The collection comes to a million dollars. And yet, that's not the end of the giving.

• 9:36Greg Jackson?

  Not to be outdone by other guests, John D. Rockefeller Jr. announces that same evening that he will give a million dollars. That brings the amount for this single dinner to three million bucks. Over the course of the entire campaign, Americans give almost thirty million dollars to the European Relief Council, the equivalent of just under half a billion in 2024. Thanks in large part to the organizational efforts of Burt Hoover, millions of starving European children will eat and survive the winter. It is nothing less than a late-Christmas miracle.

• 10:25Greg Jackson?

  Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story.

• 10:46Greg Jackson?

  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. It's time for our eighth annual Christmas special. And seeing as we've spent the whole of this year's episodes roaring through the 1920s, today, I was thinking I'd take a similar approach by regaling new with a few Christmas tales from across the decade. Some deepen our understanding of historical figures we've already met, like that opening story of Herbert Hoover's incredibly successful December 1920 fundraiser, just another example of why everyone thought he'd make such a good president. Meanwhile, others are stories of important traditions forming that will continue well into America's future. We'll start with another presidential tale, with Calvin Coolidge, to be precise, lighting up a Christmas tree near the White House.

• 11:27Greg Jackson?

  We'll then meet a Holyoke College professor who's out to teach the women in his choir, and frankly, all of America, to value Christmas carols on a deeper level. Finally, we'll head to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the city's first Santa Claus parade, the first of many to come. So, ready for a little Christmas cheer before we head deep into our coming episodes on the Great Depression? Yeah, I think we need this too. And we begin with a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Here we go.

• 11:57Speaker 03

  Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!

• 12:06Greg Jackson?

  It's just after dusk, Christmas Eve, 1923. We're just south of the White House, standing with a group of people in the large, open space inside the circular road known as the ellipse. As we do, President Calvin Coolidge is walking our way. Serving as vice president until Warren G. Harding sadly died this past summer, this is Calvin's first Christmas as the president, and tonight, the slender, famously taciturn New Englander, hence the nickname of Silent Cal, is doing something none of his predecessors have done. He's illuminating a massive tree here to the south of the White House. Okay, the president is glad-handing, so let me tell you about this tree as he makes the rounds. It's magnificent.

• 12:50Greg Jackson?

  The idea started with the District of Columbia Public Schools wanting to put up a Christmas tree, and that led to this massive evergreen gift from the great state of Vermont. Now, I can't officially comment, but one might think that Vermont got the honor of supplying the tree because Cal and his wife Grace are proud Vermonters themselves. Then again, perhaps it's simply because the Green Mountain State takes its Christmas trees very seriously. Harvesting them from all abandoned farmland in the mountains, these Vermont trees are always nicely spaced out and grow into beautiful, full shapes. Head of Middlebury College, Dr. Paul Dwight Moody selected this particular 48-foot spruce. He sent it to the White House in early December with a note, saying, "I hope that the big

• 13:32Greg Jackson?

  tree will prove a factor in contributing toward the true Yuletide spirit throughout the land." Close quote. I'm sure it will, and to his point, this tree is already taking significance far beyond the local school system. It's now being called the National Christmas Tree. Oh, but I'll stop there. Looks like Cal is about to perform his Presidential Christmas Tree Act. It's now 5 o'clock. Our strong but silent Commander in Chief presses a button. Every face in the crowd fills with the light as 2,500 red, white, and green electric lights simultaneously come to life, brightly illuminating the tree. The festivities of this presidential Christmas Eve only continue from there.

• 14:16Greg Jackson?

  Visiting, caroling, and, at 7:00 PM, the US Marine Band, aka the President's Own, begins a magnificent performance. These musically gifted devil dogs play for a full hour. Then, at 9:00 PM, the First Lady welcomes hundreds of eager citizens to the White House. They've come caroling, singing songs published in the Evening Star newspaper, just for this occasion. Give me five, buddy! You're gonna get it! This national Christmas tree, as the enormous, well-lit Vermont evergreen in the ellipse is indeed known, will shine brightly every night until New Year's. It's also the start of a new presidential tradition, one that, despite some interruptions, will continue right into the 21st century.

• 15:00Greg Jackson?

  But to keep our focus on this first national Christmas tree, it is perhaps particularly meaningful, as it so quickly evolves into a new symbol of national community. It is also a very public display of that now decades-old but still-spreading technology: electric lighting. Before wrapping lights around the Christmas tree, Americans, like Yuletide-loving Europeans, lit their Christmas trees with candles. That's right: live flames dancing on the supple branches of a slowly-dying tree inside a house. Often, a wooden house. Not the safest situation, then, so we can see why Thomas Alba Edison's electric bulbs are catching on as a safer alternative here in the early 20th century. But it's not just safety making these electric lights catch on.

• 15:45Greg Jackson?

  Colored lights, like the one Silent Cal just turned on, are making for a whole-new Christmas aesthetic, one that will quickly spread. This Christmas with Silent Cal and Grace Coolidge sounds so normal to our 21st-century ears. Yet, how curious that it's a native New Englander who starts the national tree tradition. After all, the Puritans, who played such a large role in the creation of New England, didn't celebrate Christmas. In fact, they considered carols sinful, and a puritanical aversion to Christmas festivities lingered in New England up through the 1880s, which was when Silent Cal was growing up in Vermont. But Cal Coolidge isn't the only New Englander loosening up and embracing the Christmas spirit.

• 16:27Greg Jackson?

  Indeed, one New England institution's embrace of the season is having a rather outsized national impact.

• 16:35Greg Jackson?

  Though its founder, Mary Lyon, was such a non-fan of Christmas that she forbade her early-to-mid 19th-century students from decorating or exchanging gifts, Mount Holyoke College has changed its tune considerably by the 1920s. Now, this western Massachusetts women's college has a choir that specializes in singing ancient carols. This caroling choir even tours professionally, and that is all but entirely thanks to its fearless leader, Dr. William Churchill Hammond. Mr. H., as the students call the bespectacled New Englander, is an accomplished organist and conductor. He's been a Holyoke faculty member since about the turn of the century, and is also an avid collector of obscure Christmas carols. He began by teaching these forgotten carols to his church children's choir,

• 17:19Greg Jackson?

  but found that their young voices didn't have the depth he was looking for. That led him to turn to his Holyoke students instead, giving us the Mount Holyoke Carol Choir. Everyone at Mount Holyoke knows and respects Mr. H. To quote choir girl Margaret S. Holy:

• 17:35Speaker 04

  "When Mr. H. plays, there are very few girls, I think, who would not admit willingly that they've been greatly stirred by his music. Throughout the week, we strive hard for an appearance of unconcern, but when Mr. H. turns the lights low and begins to play softly, one senses immediately the restfulness that settles over the chapel. Then, there is no need to keep on our masks. We can rest for half an hour and really feel."

• 18:02Greg Jackson?

  This feeling of joy, comfort, and happiness is exactly what the holidays are about. Now, Mr. H.'s beloved carols are often in foreign languages, and even when in English, largely unknown to the American public. But none of that will deter the determined New Englander from spreading his musical Christmas cheer to an audience far beyond Massachusetts, or even a single music hall.

• 18:27Greg Jackson?

  It's a chilly Saturday evening, December 19th, 1925. We're seated comfortably inside New York's Town Hall. No, not the municipality's seat of government. This is the recently-built auditorium on 43rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. Every available seat of this brick theater is jam-packed with Holyoke alumni. And, it's worth noting, there isn't a bad seat in the house. The theater prides itself on being built democratically, so there are no pillars or boxes in our way. Tonight's musical program consists of carols from the 13th century onward and a few of Mr. H.'s beloved organ performances, but there's an even bigger novelty.

• 19:10Greg Jackson?

  This program is being broadcast live to New York radio listeners. At this point, radio is truly taking off, and stations are pleased to broadcast today's performance. Ah, but shh, the audience is quieting down. It seems like the program is about to begin. We don't know exactly how things start here, but it's likely that Mr. H. steps onto the stage, then motions to the girls in some way, since he won't be directing them. What can I say, he's a bit preoccupied as the organ soloist. Mr. H. gets seated on his bench, and then, somehow, they begin. Most of their music is new to the majority alumni crowd in the house tonight, but all

• 19:50Greg Jackson?

  listen intently and feel transported as unfamiliar songs such as "Down in Yon Forest" and "Bring in a Torch," "Waft Through the Air," along with other carols in foreign languages. Yes, it seems that Mr. H.'s musical talents, carried tonight by the talents of his students, are just as magical as Margaret described them. The Holyoke Choir continues to perform across the nation, and their reviews are nothing but complimentary. Newspapers often praise the ladies' "fresh voices and enthusiasm." As for Mr. H., one reviewer writes that, "As an organist, Dr. Hammond quite exceeds his ability as a conductor, which is saying a great deal."

• 20:33Greg Jackson?

  And as they travel from one venue to the next, Mr. H. and the women's choir are deepening the nation's caroling tradition.

• 20:40Greg Jackson?

  From the technical wizardry of Cal's National Christmas tree, to the ethereal grace of the Holyoke Choir's carols, the roaring twenties are indeed starting, or renewing, many a Christmas tradition that will stay with the United States well into the 21st century. And in Tennessee, these deepening traditions include Santa foregoing his usual inconspicuousness to come to town in a very public and visible way.

• 21:07Greg Jackson?

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• 21:51Greg Jackson?

  Fine jewelry, leather bags, hotel-quality bedding, chef-grade cookware, and five-star luggage. Give the gift of quality this holiday season. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. And when Quince asks where you heard about them, let them know it was History That Doesn't Suck. It's the best way to support the show. History That Doesn't Suck is supported by VistaPrint. This podcast is a small business passion project, and seeing our vision come to life offline is cool too, thanks to our expert partner, VistaPrint. On my recent book tour, we were able to order custom, high-quality banners for book readings. It also added a nice professional polish.

• 22:35Greg Jackson?

  It also made the events more memorable because readers and I could pose together in front of the banner for selfies to post online. And that's just one of the countless premium products VistaPrint offers to elevate your brand identity. From postcards and posters to tumblers and t-shirts, VistaPrint makes high-end, custom printing accessible to everyone, giving you exceptional quality and results that make every single dollar go further. With real people on standby and seamless tools, VistaPrint guides you through every step of the process so you always look completely polished. There's a reason over 17 million small businesses trust VistaPrint to elevate their vision. VistaPrint: Print your possible. Right now, new customers get 20% off with code NEW20 at VistaPrint.com.

• 23:17Greg Jackson?

  That's 20% off at VistaPrint.com using code NEW20.

• 23:33Greg Jackson?

  It's a little before noon, Friday, November 30th, 1928. We're at the corner of Gay Street and East Main in Knoxville, Tennessee, where countless children and parents are standing in the midst of a rather heavy downpour. A truly unpleasant situation, true, but the children are so excited. Today is Knoxville's first Santa Claus parade, or at least, it's supposed to be. While some 15,000 would-be spectators made phone calls that overwhelmed the parade sponsoring Knoxville Journal's phone line, so much so that some calls were redirected to co-sponsoring businesses and even to the city jail, these families chose to brave the elements, just in case. Some families had little choice.

• 24:15Greg Jackson?

  They'd already traveled several miles to be here, and turning around wasn't exactly an option. But alas, Santa is not coming to town today. The rain would ruin all the elaborately decorated floats and leave Kris Kringle a sopping mess. Eventually, someone from the Journal arrives to break the disappointing news to the kids: The parade can't happen. Not today. Soaked to the bone, these families make the best of their situation. They dry off by visiting the shops in downtown Knoxville. The children's disappointment is assuaged by the well-stocked stores, all decked out for Christmas, be that clothes, shoes, makeup, toys, or most anything else these kids or parents might have on their Christmas lists.

• 24:57Greg Jackson?

  Ah, no wonder these shops are co-sponsors of the Santa Parade. They're hoping the jolly old elf can drum up some jolly old business. Even with the canceled parade, it looks like that's a solid bet. But none of this is to say the parade is off for good. Santa doesn't give up that easily.

• 25:16Greg Jackson?

  The following morning, Saturday, Knoxville families opened their Knoxville journals to find a letter to the public from Santa, published on the front page. It reads in part: "To the boys and girls in East Tennessee, Did you think I had forgotten you, When you waited and waited for me yesterday and I didn't come? When you heard from me last, My fleet-footed reindeer Were carrying me ever so swiftly toward Knoxville. But alas, misfortune was in our path! The fates were against us! When we arrived in the interior of the United States, Such rain as I have never before seen! Oh, yes, I guess it has rained just as hard on many a Christmas Eve, But on that magic night of nights, My reindeer travel far above the earth

• 26:00Greg Jackson?

  And care not for the muddy land And deep waters which are miles below. But traveling on land is different. When we were within a few hundred miles of Knoxville, The mud grew deeper, And it was with much effort That the reindeer were able to travel at all. They courageously plodded on, Though almost completely exhausted, Until we came to a great river, Which was far out of bounds. The bridge was many, many feet beneath the swift waters, And we had no means of getting across. As I write this message to you, The waters of this great river are fast receding. I know right now just who stood there waiting for me yesterday, And I know that every one of you Will be right there when I come along today. I can promise you right now

• 26:43Greg Jackson?

  That this is going to be the very finest Christmas That you ever had. Santa Claus." I can only imagine the beaming faces of Knoxville children Sitting around the breakfast table As a parent reads this letter aloud. I bet the kids are eating fast. It's time to head downtown again To see the bearded old man himself.

• 27:07Greg Jackson?

  It's now just before noon, Saturday, December 1st, 1928. Twenty-four hours exactly since we were last here on Knoxville's Gay Street. But no rain is falling today. Nope, the weather has cleared up and the ranks of Santa-seekers have only swelled. Frankly, this might just be the largest crowd Knoxville's seen since Armistice Day. People of all ages are pressed together on the sidewalks, and more are hanging from their windows along the parade route. The marshal leads the way. Right behind him are motorcycle policemen, perhaps led by the city's tall, blond, and handsome police chief, Edward Haynes. They're followed by a group that we would expect to see at any city parade, anywhere in the nation: local school marching bands.

• 27:52Greg Jackson?

  These include Knoxville High School and, farther down the line, Boyd Jr., whose band teacher, Fred de Robertis, composed the Santa Claus March just for today. Sponsoring department stores participate as well, with floats depicting beloved characters from fairy tales, such as Old Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, and others. It all adds to this Christmas spectacle. But as much as the children enjoy the motorcycles, bands, and floats, their faces truly light up when that deep iconic laugh cuts through the brass music and cheers. Yes, it's the jolly, bearded old elf himself: Santa Claus. And Mrs. Claus is with him, as is their pet dog.

• 28:34Greg Jackson?

  Seated in a tall wheeled sleigh, pulled by four antlerless Alaskan reindeer, Santa greets the crowd as he passes by. It's a very merry sight, indeed.

• 28:48Greg Jackson?

  The kids love the Santa parade, all of it. And we know that from the testimonials in the following day's Knoxville Journal. Five-year-old Paul Pless adores, quote, "That big dog that was in Santa's sleigh, as big as the reindeers themselves," close quote. Six-year-old Herbert Franklin reports that, "Me? I liked everything in it that was toys, but Humpty Dumpty especially. Old Humpty Egg was shaped so funny." But that said, seven-year-old Lutrilla Perky has notes for the organizers about Santa's hornless reindeer, even if she liked the rest. She says, "They ought to have horns, but I liked it all great, especially little Betty Blue

• 29:31Greg Jackson?

  who lost her pretty shoe. I was Betty in a play once." Close quote. "Of course you were, Lutrilla, and I'm sure you were a great Betty." While I'm also sure the Knoxville Journal and its cosponsors, that is, local stores, were pleased to bring such joy to the kids, these shops were just as pleased to see a little commercial Christmas cheer in their registers. Following the parade, Santa personally called on a bunch of these stores over the course of the day, checking their stocks of holiday goods. The kids followed him, Mom and Dad were exposed to various gift ideas, and, well, I think you can connect the dots from there. After the parade-induced craze dies down, several local department store proprietors

• 30:13Greg Jackson?

  make their way down to the Knoxville Journal to thank the newspaper personally for their organizational efforts. One local business owner remarks that, "It did more to stimulate Christmas buying than anything which has ever been attempted here." Another reports, "I am tickled to death over the success of the whole affair. There have been people in our store today who have never been in it before." Given the parade's great emotional and commercial success, I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that they decide that the parade should be repeated next year. And after enough years, well, it turns into a Knoxville tradition. One that, like Santa parades in various cities across the United States, will endure into the 21st century.

• 30:58Greg Jackson?

  From Herbert Hoover's invisible guest dinner, to Calvin Coolidge's electric illumination, to the Holyoke Choir's charming carols in Knoxville's Santa Parade, America of the 1920s has its share of Christmas magic. Magic that we all hope transcends the leaner Christmases to come. But those Christmases of the Great Depression are a tale for another day. For now, as we close out the 1920s while listening in the 2020s, I wish you the merriest of roaring 20s Christmases and the happiest of Fitzgerald-esque holidays.

• 31:35Greg Jackson?

  History That Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Episode researched and written by Greg Jackson and Ella Henderson. Holly Oak Student, read by Riley Newballer. Production by Airship. Sound design by Molly Bach. Theme music composed by Greg Jackson. Arrangement and additional composition by Lindsey Graham of Airship. For bibliography of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit htdspodcast.com.

• 32:10Greg Jackson?

  HTDS is supported by fans at htdspodcast.com/membership. My gratitude to you kind souls providing funding to help us keep going. Thank you. And a special thanks to our patrons whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Adam Goran, Ahmed Chapman, Amy and Ross Hensman, Andrew Nissen, Andrew Sherwin, Anna M. Huta, Art Lang, Baby Nico, Bob Stinnan, Bonnie Brooks, Brian Gavigan, Brian Boils, Brian Goodson, Bruce Hibbert, Kayden Hallitz, Charles Clendenon, Charles Starkey, Charlie Majes, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Lyle, Christopher Pullman, Christopher Young, Cody Brown, Colleen Martin, Colin Ferris Pennington, Connor Hogan, Craig Burhost,

• 32:50Greg Jackson?

  Dan G., Daniel Beacham, Daniel Lecana, Darren Chambers, Daryl the Kid Lovell, David Rifkin, Dean Heiser, Donte Spencer, Donald Moore, Eli Edwards, Elizabeth Chris Janson, Ellen Stewart, Ernesto Franco, Ernie Lomaster, Ethan Lowery, Ethan Thompson, G2303, Jeffrey Nelson, George J. Sherwood, Gareth Griffin, Gina Johnson, Gordon Garwood, Henry Brunges, Holly Hamilton, Jake Gilbreth, James Bloodsop, James Blue, James Schlender, Jarrett Zangora, Jeffrey Moots, Jennifer Minjioni, Jennifer Ruth, Jessica Poppin, Joe Dobis, John Booby, John Frugal Dougal, John Huber, John Messmer, John Oliveros, John Radlavich, John Schaefer,

• 33:31Greg Jackson?

  Jonathan Schapp, Jordan Corbett, Joseph Curry, Joshua Steiner, Julian Wright, Justin Tolman, Karen Bartholomew, Carl Freedman, Carl Romer, Ken Culver, Kim R., Kimberly

• 33:42Greg Jackson?

  Kristen Craft, Kyle Decker, El Paul Goringer, Laura Norman, Lawrence Neubauer, Linda Cunningham, Mark D. Worrell, Mark Ellis, Marsha Smith, Mason Glenn, Matt Siegel, Michael Longest, Michael Sullivan, Nick Cafrell, Nicholas Powell, Owen W. Sedlak, Paul Huguenrock, Philip May, Randy Keen, Rich Ruck, Rick Brown, Rob Drasovich, Robert Shelton, Brock Gay, Ryan Fogelman, Sam Holzman, Sarah Prescott, Sarah Traywood, Scott Hurst, Shane Smith, Shannon Hoagland, Sharon Feasen, Sean Baines, Sean Collins, Stacy Ritter, Steve Williams, The Creepy Girl, Thomas Churchill, Thomas Matthew Edwards, Thomas Sabbath, Tim and Sarah Turner, Todd Curran, Tom Bastafka, Travis Cox, Walter M. Ames,

• 34:26Greg Jackson?

  Wesley McKee, William Durham, William Curry, William Thompson, and Zach Jackson. Join me in two weeks, or I'd like to tell you a story.