American History Through Christmas Cards
Americans have been exchanging holiday cards for more than 150 years, and thousands of them have made their way into correspondence donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society. For the last several decades, archivists have set aside especially beautiful or evocative cards in a separate collection that now fills eight large boxes. This year, just in time for the holidays, we've scanned and posted more than 200 of the most interesting Christmas cards online.
Famous and Infamous
The cards shown online include friendly greetings from presidents Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush. Cards sent by governors Phil La Follette, Warren Knowles, Martin Schreiber, Lee Dreyfus and Tommy Thompson have been preserved, as well as ones from senators Ted Kennedy and Herb Kohl. But so, too, are pleasantries from Huey P. Newton ("Have a Revolutionary New Year") and Alger Hiss, who sent his deep affection to the editor of a communist-leaning journal in 1928.
Always Evocative
Browsing these Christmas cards is more than merely a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Because they have been so widely shared for so many decades, they are a mirror to America - not a faithful one, but a warped funhouse mirror reflecting the romanticized images that have consoled or inspired us for five generations.