Happy Easter: We Used to Send Postcards

We used to send postcards...a lot, and it was a fun way to let people know we were thinking about them when we traveled. But I do not recall ever sending one at Easter time. Below is an Easter postcard sent from Norway, addressed to my grandparents in America in the early 1900s. The scribbling on front was probably my mother's doing or that of one of her five siblings.

I've never saved postcards for long. Have you? Perhaps I should have. I did find an old collection of greeting cards once in a drawer. Some were for Easter, not the Easter bunny kind for kids, but those celebrating the resurrection of Christ. For some reason they were never sent. To be frank, the holiday never really caught on with Hallmark or other card makers as it had with the other holidays. Not that it never caught on with me. I still attend sunrise services. But I sometimes blame the loss of Easter on the school system when spring break stopped falling on this holiday. Just a theory. Perhaps, it was one too many Christian celebrations to keep in the mix, I'm not sure, but let's face it, both Christmas and Easter can easily be celebrated without any reference to Christ.   

I come from a family of Lutherans, both German Lutherans and Norwegian Lutherans. My closest German ancestors pretty much lost their faith, despite one Rader ancestor who had ridden horseback all over Missouri evangelizing his neighbors and extended family in the late 1800s. The Rader family made history in that state and left quite a legacy. One town bears the family's name to this day. 

My Norwegian side held firm to the faith, even those who boldly tried less traditional worship in other churches, like Baptist and Pentecostal types. My grandfather was a diehard Lutheran though, having been the only Lutheran Gravseth to travel to America. Religion divided my grandmother and him quite a bit over the years, as she did leave the Lutheran church. From the old country (i.e. Norway) their families sent religious postcards during the holidays, like the one below, and I have to think it may have been the one time their faiths were united.

 

Sharon M. Himsl

Published: Evernight Teen 

The Shells of Mersing

Celebrate the Small Things: Old Letters and Postcards

 
Letters and postcards are such a thing of the past, that I find it refreshing to come across old correspondence tucked in a drawer or in the cover of an old book.
 

Does anyone remember the Griffin and Sabine books by Nick Bantock? He wrote a love/friendship story using only the couple's correspondence. It's beautiful to read if you've never read the series. You turn the pages and one by one each page has a pasted letter, an envelope with one inside, or a postcard stamped "Air Mail Par Avion." It's clever of the writer, but truly effective because the text is so engaging and on the adjacent page the art is gorgeous (Bantock is also the illustrator). 

My daughter-in-law from Singapore shared the series with me and I'm so glad she did. Check out the opening lines (Griffin is in London and Sabine is in the Simon Islands, South Pacific):

Postcard 1:

Griffin Moss, 

 It's good to get to touch

with you at last.

Could I have one of your 

fish postcards?

I think you were right--

the wine glass has more impact

than the cup.

Sabine Strohem

Post card 2:

Sabine,

Thank you for your exotic

postcard. Forgive me if

it's a memory lapse on my

part. But should I know

you?

I can't fathom out how you

were aware of my first

broken cup sketch for this

card. I don't remember

showing it to anyone.

Please enlighten me.

Yours,

Griffin Moss

 
Anyway, was looking for something to post, and thought of this old favorite. Here's the full title:
Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantock (1991, 1992, 1993 Chronicle Books)

Have a Nice Weekend Everyone!

Blessed Easter

Vintage postcards from the family's archive . . .  I do miss the Easter egg hunts, dyeing all those eggs, and filling the children's baskets with candy (no grandchildren here unfortunately), but it is always good to reflect on the real meaning of Easter.

"Easter Blessings Crown Thee"

(Postcard addressed to my grandfather Carl in Bisbee, ND from ?? in Norway)

Postcard is addressed to my great-great grandmother Beret from a sister in Norway.

(Baret Marie Carlsen was born in Sylten, Norway in 1842)

A Joyful Easter to all of you!!

(A re-post from April 2013)
(postcards from Gravseth family archive) 

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Christmas Elves

To Karl from Oline (mother)

As we approach Christmas Eve and the celebration of the birth of
Christ, I look forward to a quiet candle light service at my church . . . But tales of mischievous elves, Santa Claus, lively snowmen, cute reindeer and other animals, and inspiring stories of love and forgiveness continue to entertain us at every turn, and for the most part, I don't mind at all. 

As half-Norwegian, I am fascinated with the elves of Scandinavian origin, which upon research, is really where the elf myths originated, in the ancient lore of Norse mythology. "Norse" refers to medieval Scandinavians, the people of that region and their language and culture. Scandinavia usually refers to the countries (and regions) of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, and as some argue, Finland and Iceland.  

Generally speaking, elves were viewed as magical beings, who were either helpful or a hindrance to humans, but their importance in Scandinavian culture runs deep--even today. In Reykjavik, Finland, for instance, people are urging the government to stop a highway project because of the cultural impact on a wilderness area the road would enter. The area, according to Scandinavian folklore, is home to elves and an elf church. It is now up to the Court of Iceland to decide the highway's fate (Associated Press, Dec. 23, 2013). An elf church? How interesting. Has anyone traveled to Finland and seen this before?

Elves were not necessarily viewed as impish or small either, which was my view until seeing Tolkien's take on elves in the Lord of the Ring and The Hobbit movies. The view of elves as "wee people" was actually an influence of William Shakespeare. Elves were related to fairies in his view. There are volumes of information and literary debate on elf folklore available for those interested. I am hardly the expert, but having inherited a collection of Norwegian postcards from my ancestors, I wanted to share four in the collection of elves. 

The postcards were mailed in the early 1920s to my grandfather (Karl) living in North Dakota and later Washington state, from family in Norway. Karl was the only son of five boys to immigrate to America. The elves are rather funny, with their pudgy middles and contented grins, do you agree? All are up to mischief it seems. 

To Karl and Marie (grandparents) from K?? and Ragnar (a brother)

To Karl from Dene (?)

To Karl from Ragnar (a brother)

Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf; author's Graveth family archive collection

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Happy Valentine's Day

These postcards were sent to my grandfather Carl (Karl) in North Dakota around 1909 and 1910, from Norway and the U.S. Some are so old I can only guess at the signatures on the back. The writing is faded and all is in Norwegian. I believe two of the cards are from a girlfriend, a fiancee Carl left behind. She never joined him in America (some say she got tired of waiting for him to send for her).

[From ??]

Carl immigrated to America in 1906 alone, a brave journey for a young man of 22 years to take. He had the equivalent of $20 in his pocket. He left a girlfriend and his family behind, including his parents Oline and Johan and four brothers, Kristian, Ragnar, Elias, and John. He worked as a farm laborer in North Dakota and eventually moved to Washington state. None of the cards are really valentines, but all are about longing for romance.

[From Ragnar]  

  [From Ragnar]

An interesting picture of the "proper" kiss and culture of the time. The kiss is initiated by the man, and the bedazzled woman is swooning at his touch. Notice the wine glass in her left hand. Her other hand has a watchful guard on his hand, and her eyes are wide open. Mama taught her well, I think. It is just past midnight. Is the occasion New Year's Eve? Past her curfew?  

[From parents, Oline and Johan]

          

Ah . . . a romantic yearning for love put to words in poetry. Carl did not meet and marry my grandmother (Marie) until 1918, twelve years after his arrival in America. Too bad there is scribbling on the airplane. The world was so in love with airplanes then. 

And . . . I happen to know a pilot today who is just as enamoured with this machine! 

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!  

 
Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl

[postcards from Gravseth family archive]

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Pining for Ski Days Past

Snow was abundant for a while here in the Pacific Northwest. To the south of us in Utah, my daughter said they were buried up to their hips a week and a half ago. It's melting now, but part of me misses it. There is something serene and centering about the snow when it falls. I love the feel of snowflakes melting on my face and the crispness of the air. And despite the lure of spring gardening (seed catalogs are already filling my mailbox), I find myself pining for ski days past, wishing for one more time on the slopes.

Postcard from Ragnar in Norway sent to Karl in Tacoma, WA (ca. 1918)

 I wish I had a photo of me in the 60s, flying down the slopes of Snoqualmie Pass in Washington state, with my pig tails flapping in the breeze. Those were the days when ski boots were laced tight around the ankles and ski clothing went on in layers: jeans, double socks and gloves, long underwear, sweaters, turtle necks, hat and parka. I did fork out money for bibs later, becoming more stylish, but in the beginning, paying for a ski pass and gas was all I could afford. A day on the slope in the late 1960s was $5.00. It sounds cheap now, but with wages at only $1.10 an hour (my first job), it isn't a whole lot different from today's cost.

Vince - 1971 (Germany)

I received my first pair of downhill skis in the ninth grade. My parents had never learned how to ski, so transportation to the slopes  meant trips on the KJR ski bus, rides in the back of a neighbor's car, or cramming into a high school friend's VW bug. When I later married, my husband and I also skied.

This was a new sport for Vince and he had his first lesson in Germany, while on military leave. We took a ski train to the highest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze (near Garmisch), and spent one incredible day. The lesson was challenging. Vince's knees were too stiff from a previous injury and wouldn't bend enough for the standard "snow plow" stop. He was a scary sight going full board down the hill trying to stop. 

Zugspitze - highest mountain in Germany



 Sharon - 1971
(Germany)

We continued to ski with our two children, but stopped when the budget grew too tight. We paid for their downhill passes and stayed home. I have regretted that decision, and have been campaigning to resurrect this sport ever since--even cross country skiing. Big hint to "you know who." I MISS it.

I can honestly say that skiing is in my blood. Most of my family in Norway are skiers, which hardly comes as a surprise. Wasn't skiing invented in Norway? I have received more than one photo of the family cross country skiing somewhere. Maybe I can join them someday . . .   

Reidun in Orvos, Norway - 2008

 

 Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl

[Postcard from Gravseth family archive]

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Postcards from New Year's Past

 (Postcard, 1918. B.B. London series, printed in Germany)

To Mr. and Mrs. Gravseth in Tacoma, WA 
from Mr. and Mrs. Pederson in Bisbee, ND

(Postcard made in USA, 1913)

"To Emma . . . from your loving brother Arent," Hope, WA

(Made in Germany)
To Karl in Bisbee, North Dakota . . . Godt Nyttår . . . from Johan in Norway



 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl 

[Postcards from Gravseth family archive]  

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Postcards from Christmas Past

"Waiting for Santa Claus"                                         "Happy Christmas"

My mother recently relocated and I helped with some of her packing. She had drawers and cupboards full of odds and ends, mostly junk she claimed, that I managed to organize into zip-lock bags and boxes. But some of our finds were family heirlooms: old black and white pictures of family members long since gone, a small fishing tool that my Norwegian grandfather had patented and used while fishing in Alaska, an antique  Stereoscope Viewer complete with stereoscopic cards for 3-D viewing, and a beautiful collection of postcards. Postcards, remember those? Many in our collection were mailed from Norway in the 1910s. The images are so different from any postcards I remember sending or receiving. What I find most interesting in both the postcards and 3-D cards are the stories that some obviously tell. They inspire the imagination, and one only needs to remember that television had not yet been invented to understand why. Many of the 3-D cards are hilarious, if not a little risque' for the time. I plan to share cards from both collections over the coming months. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I would love to hear your impressions . . .

                               (To Marie from Mrs. Kershaw)                                             (To Carl from Amanda?) 

                     (1918; to Carl, Cecil, North Dakota)                                      (1922; from Mervin Clyde)                                                                

                          
                    

Copyright 2012 © Sharon Himsl

[Postcards from Gravseth family archive]