Gartner & Bender Halloween A Jolly Jolly Hallowen Postcard

The early 20th century marked a significant period for the evolution of Halloween into a widely celebrated American holiday, moving beyond its more somber Celtic and European roots. Postcards from this era, featuring elements like children in witch costumes, black cats, and carved pumpkins (jack-o'-lanterns), were instrumental in disseminating and standardizing the holiday's iconography and traditions across a broader public.

This transformation saw Halloween shift from a focus on divination and supernatural folklore to community gatherings, costume parties, and children's activities. The commercial boom in postcards between 1900 and 1915 made them a primary medium for conveying these evolving festive themes, often emphasizing whimsical and playful imagery over purely frightful depictions, thus helping to define the modern, family-friendly Halloween celebration.