A Merry Christmas from the Robin
Victorian1884
Mailed to a Miss Ellen Hart, penny stamp still attached. The robin was the Victorian postman's emblem — red waistcoats, red breasts.
Collection No. 1
Postcards
Turn them over — the best part is always on the back.
Father Christmas in Green
Victorian1897
Before Santa wore red, he often wore green, brown, or blue. This one carries a sprig of mistletoe and a lantern.
Season's Greetings, Deco Skyline
1920s–30s1928
Gold-foil skyscrapers under a crescent moon. Someone pencilled 'see you at the dance' on the back.
Snowbound Cottage
1920s–30s1934
Depression-era cards turned to coziness: warm windows, chimney smoke, a promise that home endures.
Atomic Ornaments
Mid-Century1957
Starbursts and boomerang shapes in pink and turquoise. Space-age optimism, hung on a tree.
Greetings from the Ski Lodge
Mid-Century1962
A family in matching sweaters. The handwriting says only: 'Wish you were here. Bring the fruitcake.'
Groovy Yule
1970s–80s1974
Harvest gold and avocado green, a peace dove holding a candy cane.
Neon Noel
1970s–80s1986
Airbrushed Santa on a synthesizer. Sent with a mixtape that has, sadly, been lost to time.