Vintage landscape: the tree sellers

For ev’ry year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.

Bring on the holiday season!

The Christmas tree sellers, via D.C. Public Library“View of street vendors at 7th and B Streets, NW [Washington, D.C.] (ca. 1880 [sic]),” by E.B. Thompson, via D.C. Public Library Commons on flickr.

B Street, N.W., was the original name for what is now Constitution Avenue (since 1931). At the time of this picture, Center Market stood on B Street, between 7th. and 9th. Streets — at the current site of the National Archives building.

Commenters on the flickr page have suggested — correctly, I think — that the 1880 date is wrong and the photo was probably taken in the first decade of the 20th century.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!

— from c. 1910 English version of O Tannenbaum