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Brought to You By

In our series Brought to You By, we dive into the stories behind ordinary seasonal items: that grill you fire up for the Fourth of July or the fruitcake that you dig into (or regift) over the holidays. Where did they come from, and why did they become so popular?

From This Collection

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The birth of the digital camera

by Tommy Andres
Dec 30, 2016
When Steve Sasson worked at Eastman Kodak, he came up with the prototype for the digital camera. But the company wasn't interested.
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
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Stats brings Christmas to California year after year

by Robert Garrova
Dec 23, 2016
The Stathatos family have been in the business of holiday decor for more than 50 years.
Holiday decoration display at Stats Floral Supply in Pasadena, CA 
Robert Garrova/Marketplace
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Christmas gifts were all about grown-ups, in post-war America

by Daisy Palacios
Dec 16, 2016
Sarah Archer explores Christmas gift giving in post-war America in her book, "Midcentury Christmas."
A holiday advertisement for Westinghouse, 1950s. Reproduced with permission.
CBS Corporation
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Post-war economic prosperity increased America’s interest in Christmas decor

by Daisy Palacios
Dec 2, 2016
Sarah Archer explores economic prosperity in post-war America in her book, "Midcentury Christmas."
A New Year's card issued in the USSR between the 1960s and 1970s.
Courtesy Sarah Archer
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Christmas time during WWII, Americans were encouraged to ‘Make do and Mend’

by Daisy Palacios
Nov 24, 2016
Sarah Archer explores the material culture of Christmas in post-war America in her book, "Midcentury Christmas."
A Office for Emergency Management War Production Board poster and a window display at Marshall Field & Company, circa 1943.
National Archives and Records Administration, Chicago History Museum
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The business of building sandcastles

by Andy Uhler
Aug 22, 2016
Some say ancient Egyptians plotted out the pyramids using sand models.
People observe an intricate sandcastle built on a beach. 
MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images)
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The immigrant story behind a famous frankfurter

by Robert Garrova
Aug 19, 2016
How Nathan’s Famous went from a Coney Island stand to one of the biggest names in hot dogs.
Nathan's Famous restaurant on Coney Island, New York, in 1976.
Peter Keegan/Keystone/Getty Images
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A machine that puts sunscreen on for you, in a snap

by Kai Ryssdal
Aug 18, 2016
Snappy Screen founder Kristen McClellan talks about her invention in the latest installment of our series, "Summer Brought to You By."
A SnappyScreen machine set up at a beach. 
SnappyScreen
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Artisanal soft serve ice cream finds its sweet spot

by Kai Ryssdal
Aug 12, 2016
At Magpies, the flavors are chef-driven and the sugar's just right. Corn almond, anyone?
Rose Schwartz helps a customer at Magpies. 
Bridget Bodnar/Marketplace
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The surprising story behind the rise of flip-flops

by Reema Khrais
Aug 5, 2016
The humblest shoes of summer got their start thousands of years ago
The classic, inexpensive summer shoe got its start centuries ago.
Glenn Brown/Flickr via Creative Commons
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