Merry Christmas with love

The Collonade Club

There’s always that one card that arrives so late…! This card features a photograph of a beautiful building shaded by large trees. As it turns out, it is The Collonade Club at the University of Virginia.

This particular university is so important to American history because it was designed by Thomas Jefferson as an “academical village.” The cornerstone for this building was laid in 1807 by President James Madison, in the presence of Thomas Jefferson, in a Masonic ceremony. It’s an interesting story and I encourage you to read more about this beautiful building at the Collonade Club website.

The card was signed: Merry Christmas, with love for you and for all who may be gathered at your home for Christmas, Anne and Wallace.

On the back was transcribed the text on the bronze plaque at the Club. I can only imagine that Anne or Wallace or both were proud alumni of UVA.

Anne and Wallace

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A truly happy New Year to You

May you have all the seasons joys

This card is far prettier in hand than on screen. It is a two sided affair, and pressed between the two cards is a fine silk fringe. Each side is similar to the other, with a pastoral scene surrounded by branches, and very fine white glitter on the snowy parts of the images which as all but worn off over time. There is no makers mark or place for someone to sign the card. I am guessing at the 1920s on this based on another card I have from around that same time that is somewhat similar, but it’s just a guess. Anyone with better knowledge, please do chime in!

A wish for you

Pretty detailing and candles

A very pretty card brings to mind the art deco and arts & crafts movements that were popular in the 1920s. It features a red brick house at night with stars behind it, flanked by burning candles that give off a blue and green glow. The card is gilded and lightly embossed. The card was not mailed.

The sentiment reads A wish for you / May the dawn of this New Year / In gladness unfold / A host of real blessings more precious than gold!

Christmas Wishes for Peace

1923 Sciota Centrals

A simple card from 1923, plainly decorated with silver metallic embossing. It shows a house in the snow and carries the sentiment Christmas Wishes / for / Peace, Contentment / and / Cheerfulness.

The card was trimmed at the upper edge, or has been damaged over time, I’m not quite sure.

It was addressed to Sciota Centrals, Sciota, IL. Sciota is a very small town and has always been that way. In the 1880 census, they had 349 residents but have dwindled to 61 over the years. In 1920 there were 195 residents, one of which received this card. The note reads:

Glad to hear from you. We are all well. Sorry you are not. Hope Henry feels better by this time. Have & are still having lovely weather. All of the children were home first time for 3 years. Have another grandson now have 9 grandchildren 3 girls 6 boys. With love Mr & Mrs WTG.

It is New Year’s Eve, and we will return with more holiday cards, as you know the mail tends to be slow around this time of year!

I wish you a Christmas vision bright

A serene view of a house in the snow

There are always those cards that show up after Christmas, and sometimes they carry heartfelt messages that help to carry the holiday spirit forward. In our mad rush to get to the next big thing, our contemporaries can sometimes forget that the holiday is meant to last beyond December 25th. In some religions, the Christmas season begins on December 25th and runs through Advent – the true twelve days of Christmas. It would be good to bring this tradition out of the religions and into the mainstream, so we could keep those good Christmas feelings of peace, joy and love going for a few more days.

This card carries a poetical sentiment: I wish you a Christmas vision bright / Of a world re-made and clothed in light. / May Truth and Love banish all gloom / And the flowers of Hope sweetly bloom.

The card was mailed in 1921, and the reverse shows us a lot of interesting details. It carries a 1921 Christmas Seal in the top left corner. Christmas Seals originated in 1907 with the American Lung Association’s fight against tuberculosis. The fight against tuberculosis was gaining skill but losing funding, and $300 was needed to help keep a small hospital open. Emily Bissell designed the very first Christmas Seal, which eventually was endorsed by President Roosevelt, and she and her volunteers raised well over the stated goal. The stamps were sold at the post office for 1 penny a piece, and were not only a way to raise money, but awareness for the program. Since that time, Christmas Seals and the American Lung Association have expanded their efforts to address asthma, lung cancer, and other lung diseases. The stamp itself is probably valuable to collectors.

The card was sent to Mrs Deerdorff at 415 N 7th Street, Paducah, KY, and was mailed by Carrie C at 919 Summerfield Ave, Asbury Park, NJ. Carrie said “To wish you a happy Xmas and a glad New year.”

A Merry Christmas

Pretty holly

This is an unmailed postcard from around the 1900s. It is heavily embossed and gilded, and shows a bouquet of holly tied with a red bow. The gilding on the holly looks copper rather than golden. The small pine cones are also gilded with the copper color. The card was printed in Germany by B. W.

Xmas Wishes With Love

A snowy church scene

Printed by Davidson Bros Pictoral Post Cards, this card was printed in Germany. The scanning process negates the metallic sheen of the border, which is silver, and the inside border is gold. It shows a lovely church scene with a road & snow, and two people standing in the road. A sprig of holly accents the corner, and the sentiment is Xmas Wishes With Love.

The reverse of the card shows that it was intended for Dora Allen, and signed From Friendship. There is no note, and it doesn’t appear to have been mailed.