Past Holiday Memories: Vintage Christmas Cards

I sent out my cards on time this year and was rather proud of myself. But a bit disappointed too. I picked 3 packs at the end of 2008 (on sale of course, another reason to be proud,) but each one had the same cards. Not overly creative, but I do send religious ones when appropriate, Santa and elves to those with kiddles, and off-the-wall, humorous ones to good friends who I know expect that of me.

I fondly reminisce about watching my mommy get her cards out. She always used green and red pens, it was “the thing to do”, you know. And she would buy the boxes of 25 cards, the ones with a full selection. Each card had to have a special message to the person or family. I recall one time that she found one with hands on the front, clapping for the holiday season. She laughed out loud and said she had the perfect family to send it to – the Fingers! Yes, she had a friend, I believe her name was Eileen, husband was Rudy, and they had three kids. I don’t remember their names, but they would sign it “the five Fingers.”

Her sisters and brother were given very loving cards, and she’d sign with a bit of nostalgia that would remind them of growing up together. She would do what I do (or I copy her) and send the ones with elves and the North Pole to those folks with little children.

My card-sending brought back such a smile that I toddled down to the basement to see what cards I might find in my “vintage greeting card” box. And boy, was I pleasantly surprised! There were quite a few. I have saved them, not caring if another name was signed inside. In fact it seemed more charming that way to know that they actually had fulfilled their purpose and delivered holiday greetings. Some that I found were actually post cards, nicely embossed and quite beautiful. One that I found would have been a treat for mom. It shows kids on a sled and the verse included “the handclasp of a friend.” She could have sent that to the Fingers. That card was dated 1919 and had a penny stamp.

Another postcard type had a 2 cents stamp (1926) and also a stamp from that year’s Tuberculosis (TB) fund drive.

A New Years Card from 1910 had a lot of fancy work and foil! The oldest one I found was from 1906 and showed a wooden cross with flowers (morning glories I think) and was embossed as well.

The names definitely shows their age too. Mabel, Ruth, Clarence, Ada, Bernice, Helen, Elsie, Hugo, Norman, Ernest and the like. A bit different from the Madisons, Tiffanys and Brittanys of today.

I decided to put a bunch of these old cards on the coffee table for friends and family to enjoy! They fit nicely in a wooden bowl I had with painted pine-cones and the best part is that I don’t have to worry if the younger grandchildren pick them up. I try so hard not to be the grandma that screams “Don’t Touch That” and always leave my precious items way up high.

It was a fun trip down memory lane and to remember simpler times. I’ll leave you with my mother’s favorite holiday saying “Never a Christmas Morning, Never an Old Year Ends, But Someone Thinks of Someone, Old Days, Old Times, Old Friends.”