This series of images, courtesy of Getty, explores how the celebration of Christmas has changed over the years in London, England. By combining photos of Christmas Past and Christmas Present, we can see how time has changed both the city and its inhabitants. Below each composited photo is an explanation and the date of each of the two images.
Christmas Past and Present
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1930:
Stable companions appear in ‘Song of the Drum’ at Drury Lane Theatre at Endell Street on December 30, 1933 in London, England. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 9:
Text on the pavement marks where to load on Endell Street near Covent Garden on December 9, 2014 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1956:
Students of King’s College sing Christmas carols outside the Old Curiosity Shop, as immortalised by Charles Dickens on Portsmouth Street on December 12, 1956 in London, Engalnd. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 24:
A general view of The Old Curiosity shop on November 24, 2014 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1939:
Sandbags protect a shop window at Selfridges during the first Christmas of World War II on December 16, 1939 in London, England. (Photo by Hudson/Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 24:
Shoppers walk past a Selfridges department store Christmas window display on November 24, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1968:
Turkeys are auctioned at Smithfield market for Christmas trade on December 21, 1968 in London, England. (Photo by Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 23:
People walk by Smithfield Market on November 23, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo byChris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1923:
Christmas turkeys, hanging outside a poulterers in Watling Street on December 1923 in London, England. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 23:
Shoppers walk along Watling Street on November 23, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – NOVEMBER 1926:
Father Christmas arriving at the Arding and Hobbs store on November 2, 1926 in Clapham Junction, London. (Photo by H. F. Davis/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 24:
Shoppers walk past shops in Clapham Junction on November 24, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – NOVEMBER 1955:
Christmas decorations consisting mainly of snow crystal stars made of aluminium to give the effect of a snowstorm are displayed on Regent Street on November 30, 1955 in London, England. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 23:
Christmas shoppers walk along Regent Street on November 23, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
*** ARCHIVE *** LONDON – DECEMBER 1940:
During World War II Father Christmas walks the streets of wartime on December 23, 1940 in London, England. The old man has exchanged his civilian red hood for a warlike ‘tin hat’, but, blitz or no blitz, he is delivering goods this year. (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
***MODERN DAY*** LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 24:
Shoppers walk on Regent Street on November 24, 2017 in London, England. Christmas is an annual religious feast day originally set on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cultural festival and public holiday celebrated by billions of people around the world. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)