Christmas has been an important holiday in our region since Lewis and Clark huddled in tents in rainy cold weather and exchanged gifts like tobacco and moccasins. But once Spokane began to boom in the 1890s, store-bought gifts became the norm and the commercial expansion of Christmas began. Many old-timers remember downtown festively decorated for the holidays with bright lights, festive display windows and Santa Claus characters inviting children for photos. Businesses pooled their funds to create the downtown light displays and Christmas trees. In Monday's Then and Now column, we'll explore Spokane's humble Christmas beginnings. 

Here are some photos of Spokane Christmases past. 

This week's Then and Now column, about past windstorms.

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