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The earliest birhday we have archived at this time is a girls' party which took place around the turn-of-the 20th cetury in New England. It was not until the Kodak Browine made the home snapshot common that we begin to get large numbers of images of birthday parties. Also indoor photography was rather complicated so we do not see too many indoor snapshots early in the 20th century. We have seen photographs from the early-20th century. The photographic record shows that the birthday party seems to have been a well established convention during the early-20th century. We think that the parties were mostly held in or around the home.
The relative paucity of indoor imahes, probabky reflects the compication of lighting in taking indoor images. The family snapshot of the event became an essential part of the event. Traditions varies from family to family, but early-20th century birthday parties were often forml events with boys wearing their best suits and girls party dresses. Party photographs provide interesting views of both fashion and social conventions over time. On the previous page we see boys about 1930 dressing up in very smart matching sailor suits for a small family affair. I certainly remember my parties in the late 1940s and early 50s. My birthdays were rather informal affairs. We did not dress up. But other families at the time did. And by the 60s, birthday paries were becoming increasingly informal events. And we begin to see more theme and activity party beyond the party games popular in the early-20th century.
The earliest birhday we have archived at this time is a girls' party which took place around the turn-of-the 20th cetury in New England. It was not until the Kodak Browine made the home snapshot possible (1900) that we begin to get large numbers of images of birthday parties. Also indoor photography was rather complicated so we do not see too many indoor snapshots early in the 20th century. We think that the parties were mostly held in or around the home. The relative paucity of indoor imahes, probabky reflects the compication of lighting in taking indoor images. We have seen photographs from the early-20th century. The photographic record shows that the birthday party seems to have been a well established convention during the early-20th century The family snapshot of the event became an essential part of the event. And the birthday images we have found show children dressing up in their party clothes.
We do not know much about the 19th century, but as far as we can tell, celebrating children's birthdays was a well-established convention throughout the 20th century, including the early-20th century. And we know this because of all the snapshots that began to appear at the turn-of-the 20th century. As a result there are countless birthday party images vailable throughout the 20th century. Taking indoor snaps of parties was complicated, but outdoor images were one might say a snap. The images we have found show children continuing to dress up in their party clothes as was the case in the 1900s. Perhaps a little less formal. We no longer see many Fauntleroy suits, but certainly wjaht we would today see as rather formal wear for what is today seen as a casual event. Younger boys might wear Oliver Twist and sailor suits. Older boyt commonly orke knicker suits. Norfolk styles were very popular.
Traditions varies from family to family, but early-20th century birthday parties were often forml events with boys wearing their best suits and girls party dresses. Party photographs provide interesting views of both fashion and social conventions over time. On the previous page we see boys about 1930 dressing up in very smart matching sailor suits for a small family affair.
We have found coutless images of birthday parties in the 1940s. This was after the Depression years of the 1930s. Americans had jobs and wre wiorking. Many dads were in the serviuce duiring the war years (1941-45), but life went in at home and children's birtdays could be celebrated. A lot of the images were still taken outdorrs, but connly in backyards, at least during the summer. Dress is becoming increasingly casual at these eventsm but thus still vried. This family snapshot here is from a photo album which belonged to the the Mathews family of Kansas City, Missouri (figure 1). Most are of Jan Mathews, a little girl, who was born on April 30 of either 1936 or 1937. Her parents were Hugh and Dorothy. They lived at 1220 W. 64th St. Caption on the back of this photo identify Jane O'Malley and Jimmie Gillespie, and mention a French convent school that apparently the girls attended. It was probably taken about 1942. Looks like mother has used paper cups.
I certainly remember my parties in the late-1940s and early- 50s. These are the ones I remember. Party hats and these little blow trumpet tooting affairs were popular. My birthdays were rather informal affairs. We did not dress up, but di not come in beat up play clothes. But other families at the time still did. We think this had most to do with social class. Well to do families were most likely to have the kids dress up for birthday parties. The parties continued to be almost all home affairs. I do recall one outing to a local park (my birthday was in August). Mostly mostly they were informnal home affairs. We played standard party games like 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' and 'Musical Chairs'. This was all conducted out in the yard. Parties diring the Winter of course had to indoors affairs. Birthday cakes were the only cakes I don't recall mom baking. There were burgers and hot dogs for eats and of course ice cream to go with birthday cake. I don't recall Cokes and other carbonated beverages. I think we had Kool Aide. Ice cream was a little tricky at the time as until after mid-decade most peoee only has rrfrigerators with very small freezer compartments, meaning it could not be stored. .
Birthday paries by the 1960s were becoming increasingly informal events. We tend to sdee a mix at many nparties with somne noys dressed up and others wearing casual clothes. We see a good ecxample in an unidentified birthday party, we think in ther early-60s. The girls still tend to dress fiormakkynin norty dresses. A reader writes, "The article on birthday parties made me think back to my youth. Like you, most ones I remember were informal affairs . 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' was usually a mainstay of them. I remember one time going to a party with the neighbor boy when we were dressed in a dress shirt and tie."
We begin to see more theme and activity party beyond the party games popular in the early-20th century.
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