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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Then and Now: Santa Claus comes to town

1977: Santa Claus arrived in rainy downtown Spokane riding in a sleigh mounted on a special Spokane Transit System bus in a parade down Main Avenue on the way to Riverfront Park. The “reindeer” were Lewis and Clark High School students wearing masks made in a home economics class. LCHS woodworking students built the sleigh. Percussion Naut Patriots marching band also joined the parade. The Chamber of Commerce’ Retail Trade Bureau organized the holiday shopping kickoff, as they had for many decades, starting in the 1920s. (Spokesman-Review Photo Archives)
1977: Santa Claus arrived in rainy downtown Spokane riding in a sleigh mounted on a special Spokane Transit System bus in a parade down Main Avenue on the way to Riverfront Park. The “reindeer” were Lewis and Clark High School students wearing masks made in a home economics class. LCHS woodworking students built the sleigh. Percussion Naut Patriots marching band also joined the parade. The Chamber of Commerce’ Retail Trade Bureau organized the holiday shopping kickoff, as they had for many decades, starting in the 1920s. (Spokesman-Review Photo Archives)
By Jesse Tinsley jesset@spokesman.com(509) 459-5378

Retail commerce and Santa Claus have been a part of Spokane holidays since the turn of the 20th century. The character of Santa entered American culture through the many drawings of illustrator Thomas Nast, dating back to the Civil War. The story best known as “The Night Before Christmas” filled out the lore of the beloved Christmas icon.

It wasn’t far to go from the illustrations of Santa to having live actors appear in department stores, starting around 1890 in some East Coast cities.

But since Spokane began in the 1870s, its growth as a holiday shopping mecca was led by department stores. In the 20th century, the shopping season often was kicked off by Santa arriving at a shopping center.

Starting in the 1920s, these events were often organized by the Spokane Chamber of Commerce’s Retail Trade Bureau, working hand in hand with stores like Sears, the Crescent, Bon Marche, Montgomery Ward and others.

In 1903, a Spokane Chronicle advertisement for the Wonder department store declared that Santa would arrive on the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving in an automobile, a rare sight on the city streets at a time when few autos were in use and most travel was horse-drawn or by slow moving streetcars.

In 1911, Carr’s clothing store’s advertisement promised Santa would give each child a pound of hard candy if they came to the third -floor toy department after Thanksgiving.

Starting in 1923, the bureau decorated 32 square blocks with evergreen boughs and bell-shaped ornaments, strung over the roadway. The decorations would stay up from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Though styles changed, the practice continued for decades.

In 1950, the Bureau hired a two-seat helicopter to fly Santa to an empty downtown lot as thousands of children and parents cheered.

In 1921, Santa arrived at Spokane’s Union Station on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and was taken to the Crescent for his annual residency in the toy department on the fourth floor.

In 1927, an airplane carrying Santa dropped 2,000 Palace department store gift certificates, worth between a dime and $5, across the city before landing St. Nick at Felts Field.

Since 1995, the Downtown Spokane Partnership has organized holiday decor and seasonal events and provided clean-up and security in the city core.

Jesse Tinsley can be reached at (509) 459-5378 or at jesset@spokesman.com.