Lionel Postwar Christmas - Classic Toy Trains Magazine
Michael Gray
Updated on April 07, 2026
The Lionel Corp. sold trains, not Christmas decorations. That's not a judgment, just a statement.
The tains could be used around the tree or otherwise at Christmas (many were used ONLY at Christmas), but they weren't limited to it by design or appearance.
Holiday-themed trains are a modern by-product of collecting. In the Pre- and Post-war days, most families had one (or two perhaps) trains, not a collection. They were toys, not display pieces.
