Whether it’s the tinseled trees, the heartfelt gifts, or just the general kind-hearted and simple spirit of the times, no era captured the true essence of Christmas quite like the 1940s and 1950s.

1. The trees enshrouded in tinsel.

2. The simple stockings hanging off the mantelpiece.

3. The predictable gifts. Dolls for girls…

4. …and bicycles for boys.

5. Failing that, a nice puppy will do.

6. The beautifully illustrated postcards.

7. The good-natured advertisements.

8. The traditional Christmas turkey.

9. That cozy moment when everyone gathers together to read a Christmas classic.

10. And the festive fun of caroling both indoors and out!

11. Watching the Christmas special that you’ve been looking forward to for weeks just before bed.

12. Sharing a polite peck under the mistletoe.

13. Or a romantic sleigh ride through the snow.

14. The joys of department store shopping.

15. The holy silence of an empty street buried under snow.

16. Getting to your neighbor’s house by sled.

17. Waiting eagerly for the postman to arrive with cards and gifts from relatives.

18. And then, there’s the one thing that never changes: The sense of wonder the holiday brings.

(via Country Living)