Explore America's best-loved ?no work? days through 380 beautiful and fun postcard images from the early 20th century. They portray specific animals, children, flowers, and symbols that have come to identify each holiday, and some pretty ?weird? events as well. Fascinating histories of each holiday are included, and what diverse backgrounds they have! For an appreciation of the weirdness of holiday recognitions, think of the images of a kid in a diaper kicking out an old bearded man, turkeys dancing, chickens nodding to rabbits, and strange men dropping down chimneys to make children happy. The weird is integral to American holidays. All who celebrate them as well as artists, decorators, and postcard collectors will enjoy this book for the graphic styles it contains. Historians will marvel at the reasons these holidays are celebrated today. AUTHOR: Irwin Richman, Ph.D., began collecting postcards as an 8 year old, more than sixty years ago. He is a Professor Emeritus at the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg and Director of Research and Development for the Heirloom Seed Project at the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He has written five other books on historical subjects for Schiffer Publishing. ILLUSTRATIONS 382 colour photographs *
