The Christmas exhibition was designed to give newly-arrived European emigrant artists in New York, who, as refugees, did not have the right to set up their own businesses, an opportunity to show and sell their work. The Émigré Art Center, in the Empire State Building, was curated by the émigré architect Walter Sobotka, who arrived in New York in 1939. The artworks ranged between paintings, caricatures, sculptures, stage sets, ceramics, handicrafts and photographs. The émigré photographers Lotte Jacobi, Ruth Jacobi-Roth, Trude Fleischmann, Robert Hass and probably Gerda Peterich were among the exhibitors (W. L. 1939, 14). Lotte and Ruth Jacobi had been in New York since 1935/36, whereas Trude Fleischmann, Robert Haas and Gerda Peterich had only recently arrived and the exhibition likely gave them one of their first opportunities in exile to show their work to a public audience.

It is not known if the show was repeated in subsequent years or if this was a one-off event. There is also very little information available on either the Center for European Immigrants’ Art and Handicraft (which was located at 287 4th Avenue) or the Émigré Art Center (which was located in the Empire State Building). But it can be assumed that they provided a contact and network hub for European émigré artists and that further events were organised. The Center for European Immigrants’ Art and Handicraft was one of a group of self-organisations and associations working to connect emigrants in New York to American life, society and culture, as well to emigrant communities interacting within a diverse range of interest. They were united in November 1939 under the Immigrants' Conference (Anonymous 1939a, 7). Other self-help organisation were created by Hans and Else Staudinger, the parents of the photographer Ruth Staudinger, which were named "Self-help for German Emigres" and "The American Council for Émigrés in the Professions".

The Christmas show was reviewed in several newspapers and in Aufbau magazine (22.12.1939) after First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt made a Christmas shopping trip to the Émigré Art Center in support of refugee artists in exile, so providing them with a certain amount of attention and recognition.