Christmas card from abroad
One time the Christmas card and letter was a sure connection to the old country.
In a time before Facebook, Skype and emails, postcards and letters were the connection between people. Numerous of such greetings has crossed the Atlantic over the years.
Roaming around in the Digitalt Museum, a large collection of old photos and scans, mainly from Norway, I came across this Christmascard sent from Laurium, Michigan to Vadsø in Norway in 1907
The reverse side:
It’s Hilda in Laurium who sent this greeting to Ms. Olga Pedersen in Vadsø, Norway.
Over the next years Hilda and also Agnes O sent cards to Olga Pedersen in Vadsø.
Having had a quick look in the Norwegian Digitalarkivet and also on Family search I find several possible candidates. With more work it could be possible to find the individuals that sent these cards. If you know who this can be, it would be fun if you left a comment below. In the meantime, we can enjoy the simple beauty of the Christmas cards of yesteryear.
Merry Christmas! :o)
Very Interesting. I too, have many post cards sent to my husbands grandfather from his brother who stayed in Norway when Grandpa Emil immigrated to Michigan
Hello Barb
Thanks for visiting and for commenting. These postcards are treasures. Often short, they can still offer interesting and important insight into a family’s history.
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Martin
I recently had a Christmas letter translated that was sent to my Grandmother from a cousin in Stavanger years ago. Found family names in the content that I now hope to trace. Her father was born in Finnøy (Rogaland) was something I found out this year. Your posts have helped me learn how to do this. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Many cards and/or letters that have survived from those years of emigration from Norway reveal the emotional side of and the loss many felt by those having left Norway for Amerika. While the chance to better one’s life by leaving Norway was a fact many decided was something they had to do to improve their lot in life, the long distances from family and friends and a longing to see them again is often evident in some of those writings. My farmor left Norway at age 25 and most likely when she left on her overseas adventure never came to the understanding that she would never be able to return one day to visit her family. The day she left was the last time she ever saw people she left behind der oppe i Lofoten. My dad said when she would read letters from her siblings and mother in Norway she would cry.
Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your family’s history and for sharing the moving memory of your farmor.
I have sent you my best wishes for a Merry Christmas in another comment, but are happy to repeat them here. God Jul!
ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET IS VALUABLE ,
Hello Barbara
Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. I am wishing you a God Jul” from Norway!
Martin
Hi Martin, I think I found your family for the post card. Check out familysearch.org with Hilda Olson, b. 1864 (Vadso) Norway, 1910 census, Calumet, Houghton, Michigan–includes daughter Agnes… I have traveled to the Laurium area. Beautiful and very rich in history. Have a Merry Christmas.
Hello Joan
Thanks for joining in on this little “Christmas mystery”. I think your suggestion is a very good candidate. She was among the persons I looked at. I readily admit that I didn’t notice that she had a daughter named Agnes which highly raises the probability that this is, in fact, the person who wrote this Christmas card.
Merry Christmas to you and yours! God Jul!
Martin