Over the century, Christmas evolved from a humble holiday during the Great Depression to the driving force behind retail profits, local seniors recall.

“You did with the minimum, but you didn’t know the difference,” said senior Don Fisher.

About 70 seniors danced at the Snowman Shuffle, many recalling Christmases past. Although the dancers did not have the rigor of youth, each thoughtful step recalled the memories of weekly dances.

“In my day and age you didn’t take lessons or have dancing shoes. They were all dancing shoes,” said Florence Bragg. “You just got out there and danced.”

She also remembers lean holidays with her eight siblings, she said. Her father “gave my mother $20 to buy Christmas presents.”

Lottie Walker remembers her mother didn’t have enough money for a new Christmas tree, so she used an old cellophane one with candle holders, she said. Her mother said “we couldn’t light the candles, because it was too dangerous,” recalled Walker.

However, Walker and her siblings begged and her mother gave in.

A few minutes later the whole tree was on fire, she said. “All that was left was the wire.”

The holiday was still fun, and more about friends and family than ever.

“My aunts and uncles would all come down from Chicago,” Bragg said. “There weren’t a lot of presents, but we all had fun.”

Holiday cards were once more prevalent, she said.” People don’t get together or send cards like they used to.”

Traditional decorations have also changed.

Electric lights were pretty uncommon, and people rarely decorated their houses, said Scott Kimp. “It was more greenery leafs and bows.”

The time frame of the Christmas season has also expanded from a week to a few months, Falk said.

“When I was a kid it was a big deal to have a tree in your house a week before Christmas,” he said. “The whole thing has been stretched out.”