For much of the 20th century, Christmas in Toronto was a season of bright streets, bustling shops, and shared excitement. Beginning in the early 1910s, downtown storefronts along Yonge and Queen Street set the tone for the city’s celebrations. Shop windows glowed with twinkling lights, moving figures, and snowy miniature scenes that drew crowds of families and curious children.
By the 1920s, Eaton’s had become the centrepiece of holiday decorating. Its grand window displays and the annual Santa Claus Parade turned the department store into a winter landmark. The tradition of stopping to admire the windows became a cherished outing, marking the official start of the season for many Torontonians.
In the postwar years, neighbourhoods across the city embraced the joy of decorating. Strings of lights appeared along porches, and freshly cut trees filled living rooms. The lighting of Nathan Phillips Square introduced a new gathering place, where families celebrated beneath a glowing civic Christmas tree.
1908 – Display at Old St. Charles Hotel, Yonge Street.1910 – High Park toboggan runs, Christmas Day.1923 – Christie Street Hospital, Christmas dinner.1928 – Toronto Regiment, sergeants and Santa Claus.1929 – Parliament Buildings illuminated tree.1935 – Looking south on Yonge Street, opposite centre line of Trinity Square; like this from Queen Street, to Dundas Street1953 – Decorations, Baby Point, Toronto.1953 – Decorations in Baby Point, Toronto.1954 – View of a decorated house on Highgate Road in the Kingsway1960 – Lights, Casa Loma.1960 – Red Christmas lights, Casa Loma.1960 – Casa Loma lit red for Christmas.1962 – Yonge Street.1962 – Yonge Street during Christmas time.1963 – Casa Loma, interior.1963 – Casa Loma, main hall.1975 – Traffic Branch Christmas party.1984 – Storefront on Yonge Street, with graffiti.1985 – Interior of Eaton Centre decorated.1989 – Gifts, Pioneer Village.
Dalia, a photojournalist hailing from Montreal, is deeply passionate about documenting events and sharing stories about people's lives. She is on track to graduate from Concordia University with a degree in journalism and a minor in art history. Currently, Dalia holds the position of Editor-in-Chief at her school's newspaper, The Concordian. Following graduation, she aims to secure a full-time reporting job at a major news outlet.
