It is amazing that smart-thinking home photographers set up their cameras to capture Santa Claus delivering gifts and then, if successful, turn their photographs into real photo postcards which they share with relatives and friends. But we all know, you can’t capture Santa!
Or, can we?
Based on the notation above the image on this unused real photo postcard, this is Aunt Jane wearing a costume. Sears, Roebuck & Company advertised similar looking Santa Claus suits in their 1926 fall catalog for $3.98. “The coat and trousers are of red cotton cloth with white trim. Belt can be adjusted to fit any ordinary size man or woman.” Dating to sometime between 1926 to the 1940s, the message on the reverse states the obvious – “A picture of Santa Claus.”
You should note that most members in this family photo are not looking directly at the camera. They are looking “off-camera,” intentionally trying to give the appearance that this is a candid photo – it was a thing – as if they are not aware of the photographer nor that the photo is being taken. Presumably, they also don’t know that Santa Claus has photobombed their Christmas portrait.
Regardless, sometime between 1907 to the 1920s, this family posed for a photo in front of their Christmas tree. Decorations on the tree are typical for the first decades of the 1900s, including tinsel garland, tinsel wrapped glass bead ornaments (some with tinsel tassels), glass ornaments, and a hand-made paper basket with a tinsel handle.
Spoiler alert … Santa’s mask may have been purchased from a mail-order catalog such as Sears, Roebuck; their 1914 Fall Catalog shows several options for masks and a full outfit. Their finest mask, selling for 79¢, made of oiled wax over cloth “has dark lines under eyes, wrinkled forehead and other characteristics of the genuine Santa Claus face.” Three more versions of Santa Claus masks, each made of paper, range in price from 15¢ to 47¢. A complete Santa Claus outfit, complete with “mask, whiskers, red cloth hood, robe and [rope] girdle” sell for $2.98 each.
What has Santa delivered to the children at this home? There is a doll house, a Meccano (or Erector) set, a children’s chair and a doll. The brass horn that Santa is holding may also be a gift – or a decoration for the Christmas tree. Identifiable decorations on the tree include tinsel garland, short lengths of glass bead garland, lanterns and tinsel wrapped glass ornaments.
Another spoiler alert! This is not a real Santa Claus; it is one of Santa’s many helpers. It’s Archie; thank you to someone who identified him in a handwritten message on the back of this unused postcard dating from between 1907 and 1918. Although not identical, the 1913 Sears, Roebuck catalog shows Santa outfits complete with masks and a full-length robe selling for $2.85.
New viewers cannot help but wonder if that’s where Archie bought the outfit.
This photographer not only captured Santa with his sack of toys next to a Christmas tree, but he photographed himself in the mirror. As noted, on the front of this unused real photo postcard, it’s Christmas 1914. Unfortunately, there is no identifying information as to where this photo was taken.
The tree has some lovely decorations including a star on top, candles, and glass ornaments like bells, birds with spun glass tails, tinsel garland, and clip on glass flowers. Of particular notice is the simple tree-stand which appears to be just two short lengths of lumber nailed together.
This photographer was creative. He had just enough time to spring from his bed to see, what was the matter? He set up his Kodak 3A Folding Camera, and lo’ and behold, captured Santa about to slide down the chimney with a bound – no doubt getting his clothes tarnish’d with ashes and soot.
** Here comes Santa Claus! **
And finally, if you’re going to set up a camera on Christmas Eve with hopes of capturing a photo of Santa Claus, here may be a surefire way to get that photo. A bear trap in the fireplace!
But as the message on the Risdon family Christmas card from the 1960s explains, even this trap couldn’t catch Santa in the act of leaving gifts at their house. He’s a Jolly Old Elf who can be a wily fellow. He really doesn’t like to be caught!
“Happy Christmas to all,
and to all a good night!”
Christmas is but one month from today.
This article was previously published in Postcard Times,
the newsletter of the Kitchener Waterloo Cambridge Regional Postcard Club
Issue 93, December 2024.
An interesting collection of postcards and entertaining article. Well done!
The old Santa was certainly frightening! Not the “jolly ol’ elf” of poems and storybooks we have now! More like Belsnickel. I would not have wanted to sneak a peek at Aunt Jane!
Quite funny and enjoyable! Thanks!