When a gardener decides to collect a few vintage Christmas postcards…
She soon realizes she had better come up with some criteria for which postcards to collect before she has hundreds of postcards.
She decides she will collect those with unusual Christmas flowers, like this one with Lily of the Valley flowers.
Some of the cards have been sent and she likes to read what the senders wrote. This one says, “Not dead but sleeping, suppose you have a whole pile of Christmas candy, etc…”
She finds another card with Lily of the Valley flowers,
But isn’t quite sure what the other flower is. Maybe a hellebore? Though the leaves aren’t quite right. She just knows it was sent to “Dear Niece Florence” in Los Angeles, California.
Speaking of hellebores, she got this postcard with hellebores on it,
But she would have gotten this one with any flower on it. She just likes it.
She got this postcard because it features snowdrops.
“With love and affection, S. E. Patton”.
When a gardener collects vintage Christmas postcards based on the flowers featured, she jumps on this one with violets.
She can’t quite make out the sentiment on the back and decides it was written in German, though it was sent to someone in Oregon.
She gets this postcard, even though she isn’t sure what the flowers are.
Maybe a Pieris flower or just artistic license on the part of the artist who painted the picture for this postcard?
When a gardener collects vintage Christmas cards, there is no end to what she will find.
Perhaps more elves with hellebores?
Or maybe a card with traditional holly and berries, which she got because it has a nice sentiment,
and because she should have a few postcards with traditional Christmas flowers on them.
When a gardener collects vintage Christmas postcards, she has no idea what she’ll find, but she knows she’ll have fun along the way, sneaking a peak into how Christmas was celebrated in the past, and finding a few unusual flowers along the way.
Interesting that so many feature lily-of-the-valley. I think it used to be forced more frequently than it is now. Perhaps some of the flowers you can't identify were also forced in the past? But it could be artistic license, too.
You have some interesting collections Carol. Love the postcards.
Lily of the Valley has several meanings that could link it to Christmas. It symbolizes the return of happiness and/or the sentiment that you are incomplete without the person you give the flower (or card) to. And white is a sign of purity and the Virgin Mary. There's probably more, but with my foggy morning brain this is what comes to mind…
Love them!
For collectors, antique Christmas cards are an excellent choice, Carol. They are easy to store, interesting, and the flower ones are meaningful for a gardener. You have me thinking about my next collection, mmm …
P. x
Some of the flowers that you think could be hellebores remind me of the old-fashioned 'Complicata' rose. It is a single rose with five petals. Very simple, but beautiful!
Oh Carol, they are so beautiful! I love those old post cards – and for sure your blog!
Have a happy happy time
Elisbeth
I love that the cards have something on them other than poinsettias and amaryllis. I read on Matt Mattus' blog that lily of the valley was commonly forced at Christmas. Why have we stopped that sweet remembrance of the season? I'm enjoying all of your cards. I think I have a few somewhere. What a great thing to collect.~~Dee
These postcards are wonderful! My husband has an old collection given by a family member that I'll have to go through now to see if I might find some like these. You outdid yourself with this post!