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Season’s Greetings from Across the Centuries

by MCHS Staff
December 3, 2024

From the later 19th century to the early 20th, the imagery we today associate with Christmas became more popular. The evolution can be seen in Christmas cards in MCHS archives that transform from the cheery, but decidedly out-of-season greetings of the 1880s to the snowy scenes bedecked with holly of the 1910s.

19th-century Christmas cards could be downright summery without a snowflake or evergreen in sight.

 

Although sometimes there was a little holiday greenery.

 

Christmas 1884. Some of the most beautiful cards were produced by Louis Prang, who is often considered “the father of the American Christmas card.”

 

Red and green as well as holly, Santa, and and Christmas trees became more prevalent on early 20th century cards.

 

Christmas 1904

 

Christmas 1906

 

Christmas 1910

 

Christmas 1910. As cars took off on the road, Santa took off in one as well.

 

c. 1910s Christmas

 

Christmas 1911
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