Christmas in the 1970s vs. Christmas Today
A Holiday Reality Check With a Little Real Estate Truth
I grew up in the 1970s, and Christmas back then felt different in a way that’s hard to explain unless you lived it. It wasn’t louder. It wasn’t bigger. It definitely wasn’t more expensive. But it felt fuller.
Christmas didn’t arrive in a shipping box. It arrived slowly. You felt it coming.
The Sears Wish Book Was the Event
Before Amazon, before online carts, before next-day delivery, there was the Sears Wish Book.
That catalog wasn’t something you casually flipped through. It was studied. I’d sit on the floor for hours circling toys like my future depended on it. Star Wars action figures. Stretch Armstrong. Evel Knievel stunt cycles. Big Wheels. Hot Wheels tracks that took over entire living rooms. G.I. Joe. Slot cars. Lincoln Logs.
You didn’t circle everything. You circled a few things and hoped Santa was paying attention.
There was no tracking number. No confirmation email. Just faith.
Stores Were Part of the Memory
Shopping wasn’t a click. It was an experience.
Sears. JCPenney. Montgomery Ward. Kmart. Toys R Us. Kiddy City. TG&Y. Otasco.
You walked into those stores and smelled Christmas. Plastic toys. Rubber tires. Pine wreaths. Crowded aisles. Long lines. Parents scanning shelves hoping the one toy wasn’t already gone. If it was sold out, that was it. No warehouse. No overnight shipping. Parents improvised like professionals.
Homes in the 70s Felt Different at Christmas
The houses themselves were different.
Ranch homes and split-levels dominated. Floor plans were simple. Kitchens were closed off. Wood paneling was everywhere. Shag carpet so thick it absorbed sound, toys, and probably entire childhood memories. Fireplaces actually got used. Windows leaked cold air that made the house feel colder, cozier, and more like Christmas was supposed to feel.
Christmas trees were real. Always real. They leaned a little. They dropped needles constantly. Someone forgot to water them. Lights either worked perfectly or not at all. There were no smart plugs, no remotes, no apps. Just one outlet and a lot of hope.
And somehow, those homes worked perfectly.
Santa Claus, Rudolph, and One Shot to Watch
Christmas TV in the 70s was sacred.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.
Frosty the Snowman.
You didn’t record them. You didn’t stream them. You had one chance. Families planned their evenings around those shows. Everyone sat down together. One TV. One couch. One living room.
Those weren’t shows. They were events.
No Phones. No Streaming. Just People
There was one phone in the house. It was mounted on the wall. It had a ten-foot cord. And when it rang, everyone stopped talking.
No phones at the table. No tablets. No background noise from devices. If you wanted music, you played records. If you wanted a movie, you watched whatever was on TV, commercials and all.
Christmas meant people were actually present. Loud conversations. Kids arguing. Adults laughing. Nobody disappearing into another room to scroll.
Christmas Morning Was Controlled Chaos
Christmas morning was fast and loud.
Gifts were opened immediately and played with immediately. No saving things. No filming reactions. You tore open boxes, threw instructions aside, and figured it out as you went.
By noon, kids were outside. Big Wheels flying down driveways. Bikes everywhere. Neighborhoods alive. Parents had no idea where anyone was, and somehow, that was fine.
You came home when you were hungry.
The Photos Tell the Story
You got one photo.
One.
A Polaroid.
No deleting. No retakes. No filters. You snapped the picture and waited while it developed. Everyone leaned in. If someone blinked or it was blurry, that was the memory.
Those photos ended up in albums or shoeboxes because they mattered.
Christmas Today Feels Very Different
Fast forward to today.
Homes are larger. Smarter. Quieter. TVs are massive. Decorations are curated. Christmas starts in October. Gifts arrive daily in brown boxes. Kids already know what they’re getting because they helped pick it out.
Phones are everywhere. Photos are endless. Moments are recorded instead of lived.
Families are together, but often distracted.
The House Then vs. The House Now
A Real Estate Perspective
As someone who sells real estate for a living, Christmas reveals houses in a way no inspection ever could.
Back then, houses forced people together. One living room. One TV. Furniture pushed closer. Kids on the floor. Someone always in the way.
Today’s homes are better in every measurable way. Open floor plans. Vaulted ceilings. Smart thermostats. Media rooms. Offices. Guest suites. Multiple TVs.
From a real estate standpoint, modern homes are incredible.
From a Christmas standpoint, the older homes had one advantage. They didn’t allow escape.
They made people interact.
Back then, Christmas lived inside the house.
Today, it often lives inside the phone.
I can sell square footage, finishes, and smart features all day long. But Christmas reminds me it’s not about how big or perfect a house is.
It’s about what happens inside it.
Selling Real Estate in December
The Season Everyone Underestimates
This is why selling real estate around Christmas is so misunderstood.
People assume December is slow. That buyers disappear. That no one wants to move.
In reality, December buyers are serious. They’re not browsing. They’re making real decisions. And homes that sell in December sell because buyers are picturing real life inside them.
December showings feel different. Homes feel warmer. More emotional. Buyers aren’t just looking at layouts. They’re imagining holidays, family dinners, and future memories.
That’s something no algorithm can measure.
Final Thought
Christmas in the 1970s wasn’t perfect. Neither is Christmas today. Homes aren’t better or worse. They’re just different.
But whether it’s a small ranch house with shag carpet or a modern home with smart everything, the truth stays the same.
A house doesn’t become special because of its size, design, or technology.
It becomes special because of the moments that happen inside it.
And Christmas has always been the best reminder of that.
Wyatt Poindexter, Managing Partner, The Agency | 405-417-5466 | [email protected] | www.WyattPoindexter.com | www.TheAgencyRE.com
