Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: bags

Looks like good ol' Santa Claus and his reindeer are up on the housetop with lots of toys for all the girls and boys! This is a Victorian-era sample of an advertising trade card. "Christmas Card—Card No. 3. 3 colors."

John Grossman included this puzzling postcard in his book Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark, and Forgotten Christmas (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2008), p. 110. He suggests that the actions of this mean Santa Claus derive from earlier European traditions like the Krampus , a devilish figure who punished misbehaving children and sometimes carried them away in a bag or basket (see Grossman's book for illustrations). By the early twentieth century when this German postcard was published, however, most American Santas were depicted as benevolent fellows who rewarded--not punished--children. My copy of the card is unused with no address, message, or postmark on the back.

A photo of kids in costume/fancy dress for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Green-tinted blurry kids pose with a jack-o'-lantern before heading out for Halloween trick-or-treating sometime in the 1970s. The back of the photo is watermarked with "A Kodak Paper," which was used in the 1960s and early 1970s.

"Potato Chips, 1¢, Packed for Interstate Biscuit Co., Bronx, New York. Net weight one-quarter ounce or over. Before eating. After eating." For a similar item, see I Eat at the Royal Coffee Shoppe / I Don't :

Simplex Typewriters, Santa's Favorite, 1908 Sample of work of Simplex No. 1, $1.00: This machine will delight any boy or girl and older folks find it useful. Sample of work of Simplex No. 2½, $2.50: A neat little note size typewriter that will please Glays or Joe, or Mama for social correspondence. Sample of work of Simplex No. 5, $5.00: It will write a letter like this on wide business paper like Father's. Simplex Lithograph Co., New York. See also the front of this die-cut Santa advertisement:

"Simplex Typewriters, $1.00, $2.50, $5.00. The most instructive and useful gift possible to give any child, boy or girl. Come at once to see them demonstrated at E. Schneider & Sons Co., 80 Bergenline Ave., Hudson Hill, N.J." If you have any interest in the history of typewriters—or vintage ads, photos, and ephemera related to typewriters—then you may want to track down a copy of the recently published book, The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine (Calgary, Alberta: Uppercase Publishing, 2015), by Janie Vangool (full disclosure: my name appears in a list of supporters at the back of the book just because I preordered a copy). I don't believe that this Simplex Santa makes an appearance in The Typewriter , but there are photos of a couple of Simplex (Toy) Typewriters (one dated 1910), along with Christmas magazine advertisements, Valentine cards, letterheads, postcards (including a copy of this one , p. 123), manuals, instruction books, certificates, touch typing charts (a colorful example similar to this one appears on pp. 86-87), die cuts, ribbon tins, and other delights. Here's the other side of this die-cut Santa advertisement:

"Holiday Greetings of E. R. Barry, the Hanover St. Confectioner. Bufford." Although this advertising trade card likely dates to the 1880s or 1890s, E. R. Barry continued in business into the twentieth century, as evidenced by the text of an advertisement in The Manchester [New Hampshire] Directory, 1908 (Boston: Sampson and Murdock, 1907): "E. R. Barry Co., confectioners, caterers, and bakers, ice cream, etc. Dinner served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 35 cents. Odd Fellows' Block, 81 and 89 Hanover Street, Manchester, N.H." See below for some other Victorian trade cards that feature Santa Claus:

"X-mas Greetings. N. America. Merry Christmas Series 403." Even Santa Claus noticed the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914! See also Panama Canal Drawing Book, 1914 :

A trick or treat photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of the photo: "Halloween, 1955." A little cowboy--wearing a Howdy Doody kerchief around his neck and Howdy Doody boots--poses in front of the fireplace alongside his brother, whose costume features a devilish image on the front.

"Mister Softee Cart Wheel. The very best sandwich. Ice milk. Net contents, 3 fl. ozs. Mr. Softee, Runnemede, N.J."

"Conestoga Coffee Blend, one pound net, Lancaster Wholesale Grocery Co., distributors, Lancaster, Penna." Although the landscape surrounding the Conestoga wagon in this illustration from the front of a paper coffee bag depicts the rugged terrain of the American West, early settlers actually used a different type of covered wagon (often just a simple farm wagon enclosed in canvas) to travel westward. The Conestoga wagon originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , and its name may have come from the county's Conestoga Township or Conestoga River ("Conestoga" originally referred to a Native American group now more commonly known as the Susquehannocks ). It was a sturdy vehicle capable of handling large loads over the undeveloped dirt roads in Pennsylvania and surrounding states during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Given the local origin of the Conestoga wagon, it's not surprising that the Lancaster Wholesale Grocery Company chose the name for its coffee. And it's certainly more dramatic--through not accurate--to see the wagon traveling through a mountainous Western landscape rather than slogging through the muddy roads in the eastern United States. See also Howard C. Frey, Refurbisher of Conestoga Wagons .

"Here! Wait a moment till I check up this account and see if you've got all the things I ordered." See also Say, Mister, It's No Use You Going Down That Dirty Chimney (below).

"Say, mister, it's no use you going down that dirty chimney: jes give me the presents and I'll take them down and save you the time." Sent to Mrs. Ella Haglette, Allensville, Mifflin County, Pa., in 1908. See also Wait a Moment Till I See If You've Got All the Things I Ordered (below).

I sure hope Santa gets a new airplane this year! He's still making deliveries with his old biplane. 8-) Postmarked Airydale, Pa., Dec. 24, 1910.

I hope that plane has air brakes! Christmas Greetings Let's light the Yule-log old Santa to greet When he slides down the chimney white with snow It lies there crackling and glowing with heat, And my wishes for you warmly glow.

Church groups and other organizations used variations of this poem to invite members to "Birthday Party" gatherings that were both social get-togethers and fundraising events. See additional examples from 1896 and 1910 (below). Birthday Offering, will be held in the Social Hall of Cookman M. E. Church, October 15, 1912, by the Epworth League in honor of the 45th birthday of George W. Young. Upon this card, a little sack, We give to you with pleasure; Please either send or bring it back, Having filled it from your treasure. To put in pennies were are told, As many years as you are old; And if your name in public be read, We promise the number will never be said. Refreshments will be served to all, and we kinly invite you to make a call; And earnestly pray that the Lord will bless And crown the work with abundant success. The proceeds are for the benefit of the society. If not convenient to attend, please forward sack with your offering.