American Colorgravure Pub. Halloween Witch On Broom Holding Cat Postcard

Halloween, as a popular secular holiday, experienced significant commercialization and widespread celebration in the United States and other Western countries from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries. Postcards became a primary medium for conveying holiday greetings and imagery during this era. Illustrations like this one frequently softened traditional macabre elements, depicting witches as whimsical, child-like figures rather than menacing old crones, which broadened the holiday's appeal.

The postcard's imagery reflects common Halloween iconography of the period. The broomstick, black cat, and witch's hat are classic symbols associated with witchcraft, while the full moon, pumpkins, and haystacks evoke the autumnal harvest traditions that merged with ancient Samhain rituals to form modern Halloween. Jack-o'-lanterns, carved from gourds like pumpkins, gained prevalence as a holiday symbol in the late 19th century, drawing from Irish folklore and signifying the holiday's blend of mystical and agrarian themes.