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Depression-Era Holiday Traditions: Thanksgiving in the 1930s
During the Great Depression, families found creative ways to keep Thanksgiving traditions alive. What exactly did holiday celebrations look like during America’s toughest economic chapter?
From budget-friendly adaptations to surprisingly elaborate spreads, this episode uncovers the real dishes that graced 1930s dinner tables.
In this episode, we explore:
- Depression-Era Creativity: Discover how families adapted traditional Thanksgiving menus during lean times
- Vintage Recipe Deep Dive: Journey through historical newspaper archives to find authentic 1930s holiday recipes
- American Food Culture: Learn how this pivotal decade shaped Thanksgiving traditions we still practice today
- Those Famous Gelatin Molds: Yes, we’ll even chat about America’s fascinating obsession with suspended foods!
Join us for a fascinating trip back to 1930s Thanksgiving tables – you might be surprised by what you find on the menu!
Resources
Keep exploring with these resources mentioned in this episode:
- The newspaper pages talked about in the episode:
- The Press Democrat – Fri, Nov 21, 1930 ·Page 10 (Santa Rosa, CA)
- The Chronicle, 1939 (Scottsburg, IN)
- Hickory Daily Record – 1935
- ChroniclingAmerica.gov
- Newspapers.com
- FamilySearch.org
- Ancestry.com
- Find My Past
- Homemade gravy (the way Ashley’s grandpa used to make it)
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