My grandfather was born in 1902, and as a small child was the recipient of many wonderful postcards, including a sizable collection of Christmas greetings. At least a third of this set portrays the night before Christmas, and specifically the visit from St. Nicholas. When I stand at a bank of Christmas cards today, … Continue reading A Visit From St. Nicholas
Vintage Postcards
Postcard Play: Make Christmas Gift Tags
My grandfather, Donald C. Minor, left a postcard collection, which includes a couple dozen Christmas greetings from 1906-1910. Besides gleaning genealogical clues and collecting family history snippets, I brainstorm ways to play this art forward. What a waste it would be to just file these pieces of art away in acid free sleeves! One of … Continue reading Postcard Play: Make Christmas Gift Tags
The Mystery of a Purple-Robed Santa
In December of 1910 my grandfather, Donald C. Minor of Greene County, Pennsylvania received another Christmas postcard from Genevia in Morgantown, West Virginia. She wrote: "I hope Santa will bring you lots of pretty things and that you will have a Merry Xmas and Happy New year. Your friend, Genevia" As a genealogist the card provides no clues … Continue reading The Mystery of a Purple-Robed Santa
Sing A Song for Christmas!
A Merry Christmas! I am so pleased to find among my collection a fine example of a glittered embossed postcard by P. Sander Company. Oh, how I wish I knew the ins and outs of scanning to capture three dimensions, for the publishers of this era worked hard to enhance their cards, simply and cheaply, … Continue reading Sing A Song for Christmas!
A Merry (European) Christmas!
Hello, Donald, Come on over and we will sled ride. What is Santa Claus going to bring you. ~Carl This toy-bearing gent is more St. Nicholas than Santa Claus. Influenced by the artist's Saxon* roots, this illustration depicts a St. Nick clad in heavy black boots and a long, hooded red robe tromping through … Continue reading A Merry (European) Christmas!
Shoots, Roots, and Leaves 