I
am taking a look this week at one of my favourite post-Christmas
activities - compiling a Christmas Card scrapbook.
Firstly vintage
cards in my collection :
The postcard above,
sent in
1877, was in the collection of my third cousin, Janet,
who made contact with me through the Genes rRunited website - we
went onto exchange family memorabilia. The verse on the card reflects
the rather Victorian maudlin sentiment of the time, but it is still a
lovely picture.
Another continental card - this time from France, courtesy of cousin Stuart.
And below two of the many cards sent back from Flanders Field in World WAr One by my grandfather to his family 1917 and 1918.
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My Scrapbook Project
It seems a shame to bin so many lovely images on Christmas Cards that I have come up
with my own way of retaining tmy favourite cards for future pleasure.
I began doing this years ago when my daughter was small, with "Gillian's Christmas Scrapbook" was a way of conveying the Christmas story and traditions in a strong visual style and displaying cards that had been especially sent to her. I hand-wrote the words as this was long before the days of computers. The scrapbook came out of the cupboard every Christmas to look through and reminiscence over and it became part of our family tradition, one continued with my granddaughter.
Many years down the line, I had a growing pile of cards that I had
refused to throw out, so I created something similar in a more adult
version calling it "Christmas Kaleidoscope"- annotated this time by the
computer, which of course made a huge difference to the style of
presentation.
My next project, spread over two scrapbook, was "A Christmas A-Z" focusing on a wide range of aspects of the Christmas story. What would I do without the internet to help with history and definitions!
I do mean to stop - but already my mind is on the next edition - perhaps looking at the stories behind Christmas carols.
Since I began, scrapbooking, it has become a sophisticated hobby, but I have kept to a very simple style with the focus on the illustrations.
So to anyone who sent me a card, it continues to give pleasure long after the 12 days of Christmas have past. You never know, I might have created a family heirloom collection.
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Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers
to share their family history through photographs
to share their family history through photographs
Click HERE to read more Christmas memories
from other Sepia Saturday bloggers.
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Well "SNAP"
ReplyDeleteThat first comment got away from me before I was ready to send it! Anyway, as I was saying . . . "Snap" you and I were on the same track with Christmas cards except you are highlighting those received, and I featured those sent out. :) I keep scrapbooks of the cards & letters we send out every year, but I do have a stack of favorite cards others have sent to us over the years and your scrapbooks (which are lovely, by the way. I like how you have put them in categories) have given me ideas! Rather than sit in a drawer in a stack, all but forgotten, they should be in a scrapbook! So thanks for the idea!!! :)
ReplyDeleteWell done!
ReplyDeleteExcellent way of saving those good wishes, and a bit that becomes history as the years go by!
ReplyDeleteI see the legend of St. Nicholas, or Sinterklaas as it is called here, is mentioned in one of your scrapbooks. It is still celebrated here on the evening of December 5. It is mainly foor small children but also grown ups give eachother presents accompanied by a poem. Depending on the tradition in the family, the poem can either be sweet, ironic or worse. The fact that the writer of the poem is always Sinterklaas, helps to hide the true sender. But I have to admit that Sinterklaas is fighting an uphill battle with Santa Claus. Already in early november the first Christmas articles are displayed in the shops. So I am afraid that within a generation Sinterklaas will have disappeared in the mists of the past and be replaced by Santa Claus ... No matter that, your scrapbooks are a great idea!
ReplyDelete