Halloween Girl With Flying Jack-O-Lanterns John Winsch Embossed Postcard

Halloween imagery, particularly the carved pumpkin or jack-o'-lantern, gained significant popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originating from Irish folklore where turnips were carved to ward off spirits, the tradition shifted to pumpkins in America due to their abundance and ease of carving. By 1915, when this postcard was copyrighted by John Winsch, the jack-o'-lantern had become a ubiquitous symbol of the holiday, representing its festive and slightly mischievous spirit, often depicted with whimsical features like bat wings.

During the 1910s, Halloween was transitioning from a more adult-focused, often rowdy, celebration to a family-friendly holiday involving costumes and themed decorations. Postcards played a crucial role in disseminating these emerging visual traditions, helping to standardize and popularize specific symbols like the cheerful jack-o'-lanterns and charming children in festive scenes. John Winsch was a prominent American postcard publisher known for his high-quality, often embossed, holiday cards, further cementing these designs in public consciousness during this era.