Did you know that the first public Christmas tree was set up in New York? It was located in Madison Square in 1912 for the benefit of the public. The bulbs that decorated it were donated by no other than the Edison Company itself! The spirit of charitable acts was a prominent symbol of the holiday even back then. Volunteers would pack ships full of gifts for European children during WWI. Volunteers of the Salvation Army were collecting funds to feed those in need. Jump right into the streets of the city with these fascinating vintage pictures documenting the entire event.
