Christmas Cards to the Howe Family, circa 1900 - 1935 (Part 1)

Among the most popular posts in this blog have been those featuring antique and vintage greeting cards. Between now and December 25, I'll post Christmas cards and letters from the collection of Sarah Eva Howe Salyers of Carrollton, Kentucky. Few of the cards are dated, but I believe the cards in today's post date from the first quarter of the 1900s.

First, an advertising card sent from Wolf Wile's, a department store in Lexington. On the inside are directions for transforming the card into a kazoo-type toy.

Next, a letter from Santa, addressed to Sarah's son Bob (Robert King Salyers, 1907-1977). This is one of the few items we can date a card not only to a year but to a specific day: Dec. 12, 1911. Note that in those days, the recipient's name and city were a sufficient address on an envelope in a small town. The post office staff likely knew everybody in town. The stamp has disappeared, but research indicates that the cost of sending first-class mail in 1911 was 2 cents (comparable to 51 cents in 2015).

Now, cards to the Howe-Salyers family from friends and relatives.

 

 I hope you enjoyed these old cards. I'll be posting more cards and holiday notes between now and Christmas Day. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying these busy days leading up to Dec. 25.