Mechanical Halloween Greeting 1908-1915 Postcard
Halloween underwent a significant transformation in the early 20th century, evolving from a harvest festival with Old World roots into a widely celebrated American holiday. Postcards, particularly during their "Golden Age" (circa 1900-1918), became a popular medium for conveying holiday greetings, with festive designs featuring iconic imagery. This postcard, copyrighted 1910 by Harting Bros., captures the burgeoning enthusiasm for Halloween, portraying a child in a classic ghost-like costume holding a carved pumpkin jack-o'-lantern.
The imagery reflects common Halloween traditions of the era, where homemade costumes were typical and the jack-o'-lantern had become firmly established as a symbol of the holiday in North America, evolving from earlier Celtic customs of carving gourds. The phrase "The highest expectations for Halloween" highlights the holiday's increasing appeal and its shift towards child-focused celebrations, marking a period when many of its modern customs were formalized and widely adopted.
The imagery reflects common Halloween traditions of the era, where homemade costumes were typical and the jack-o'-lantern had become firmly established as a symbol of the holiday in North America, evolving from earlier Celtic customs of carving gourds. The phrase "The highest expectations for Halloween" highlights the holiday's increasing appeal and its shift towards child-focused celebrations, marking a period when many of its modern customs were formalized and widely adopted.
