From The Archives: Christmas Shopping in 1985

Chattanooga (WDEF) – The holiday season was a bit different in Chattanooga 30 years ago.

In 1985, there was no Amazon.com or Hamilton Place Mall.

There were no Rock City lights or dancing snowflakes on the Walnut Street bridge.

So how did your parents get through the season?

They fought the crowds at Eastgate and Northgate for one.

Here is a look at the post-Thanksgiving crush at the malls back before we called it Black Friday.

The big holiday decorations back then were at homes in the neighborhood, downtown store windows, and special events like the Junior League Enchanted Forest.

And finally, more sights and sounds of the holiday crowds at Eastgate Mall.

This was a final hurrah of sorts.

Next year, Hamilton Place would open, turning Eastgate into a ghost town.

But from the late 60s through the early 80s, Eastgate was the king of Christmas shopping.