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Posted: 25 Dec 2018

Taken: 25 Dec 2018

3 favorites     4 comments    550 visits

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Keywords

skiddo 23 •
Christmas cards •
fads •
typefaces •
attached •
Christmas •
Xmas •
ephemera •
attachment •
scram •
twenty-three •
beat it •
skidoo •
skiddoo 23 •
skidoo 23 •
23 skiddoo •
hand you a lemon •
catchphrases •
skiddoo •
skiddo •
23 skiddo •
23 skidoo •
December 25 •
printed •
postcards •
humorous •
type •
comic •
fruits •
old •
funny •
humor •
vintage •
antique •
paper •
women •
smiling •
holidays •
lemons •
fonts •
metal •
illustrations •
cards •
sarcasm •
amusing •
greetings •
greeting cards •
typography •
yellow •

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Merry Lemony Christmas

Merry Lemony Christmas
An early twentieth-century postcard with a shiny "Merry Christmas" greeting that's actually an attached metal piece.

Why does the women in the illustration have a silly grin on her face and why is she holding a lemon, you ask?

At the time this postcard was published, handing someone a lemon was a humorous way to say "skidoo" or "23 skidoo," meaning "scram" or "beat it."

So those who knew about this 23 skidoo fad quickly realized that the lemon signified that this was a tongue-in-cheek greeting.

For another lemon postcard with a backhanded Christmas greeting, see I'm Sending You a Lemon for a Merry Christmas.

To learn how lemons came to be associated with the 23 skidoo fad in the early twentieth century, see Skidoo 23 Is Now 37.

I'm Sending You a Lemon for a Merry Christmas

Skidoo 23 Is Now 37

amylsacks, Smiley Derleth, John FitzGerald have particularly liked this photo

Comments
 Deborah Lundbech
Deborah Lundbech club
I remember this lemon/23 skidoo connection - still seems so strange! And combining it with a Christmas card...!?!
Merry Christmas, Alan. Thank you for all your endlessly interesting, quirky, educational and charming posts!
6 years ago.
Alan Mays club has replied to Deborah Lundbech club
Thanks, Deborah! Quirky is what I strive for! 8-) I appreciate all your great posts, comments, and observations as well, and I hope you're having an enjoyable holiday, too.
6 years ago.
 arts enthusiast
arts enthusiast
I second what Deborah said! I hope you had a Merry Christmas, Alan!
6 years ago.
Alan Mays club has replied to arts enthusiast
Thanks, Ellie! A belated Merry Christmas to you!
6 years ago.

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