Vintage holidays

The birth of Old Glory from painting by Moran

1700s

The history of the American flag, and its evolution since 1777

There’s so much history packed into the history of the American flag, that doesn’t only represent the states in the country, but the evolution of the USA.

1900s

The New York heat wave: How people tried to beat the heat back in 1911

Before air conditioning and refrigerators existed, here’s how peolple managed to stay cool during the great New York heat wave of 1911.

1900s

20 vintage Memorial Day postcards

Here are more 20 colorfully-illustrated vintage Memorial day postcards for the national American holiday originally known as Decoration Day. These antique cards are all from the early 1900s.

Vintage Easter postcard from 1909 with an egg house

1900s

20 adorable vintage Easter postcards from the first decades of the 1900s

Here is a collection of 15 colorful vintage Easter postcards from the early twentieth century!

1900s

Erin go bragh! 17 antique & vintage St Patrick’s Day postcards from the 1900s

Here, see a collection of antique & vintage St Patrick’s Day postcards — sweet little hello notes people sent to each other a century ago!

1800s

See how they had to remove snow 100 years ago

Without the kind of winter weather equipment we take for granted, removing snow from city streets and sidewalks was a huge undertaking. Here’s a look!

1800s

8 ways to enjoy old-fashioned holiday eggnog

Egg nog is thought to be originally an American institution, especially popular in the southern states during the holiday season. So here are 8 old-fashioned eggnog recipes for you to try!

1900s

14 cute antique Thanksgiving postcards people sent back in the early 1900s

Take a look back at how people celebrated Thanksgiving Day with these antique Thanksgiving postcards from around the turn of the century!

Recipes for a Colonial-style Thanksgiving dinner, as seen from 1902

1900s

Recipes for a Colonial-style Thanksgiving dinner menu, as envisioned in 1902

Roasted turkey with pumpkin sauce, Georgia potatoes, succotash, election cake and other classic Thanksgiving dishes

How a bride in 1950 made a new wedding dress from a heirloom bridal gown from 1900 - Before and after

1900s

How a bride in 1950 sewed a new bridal gown from a heirloom wedding dress

Stored away and preserved for fifty years, this lovely heirloom wedding dress of silk satin was easily converted into a modern wedding gown for a new bride.

1900s

The most beautiful vintage wedding dresses from the early 1900s

Planning a wedding with a classic old-fashioned feel? Check out this collection of beautiful vintage wedding dresses from the first decade of the 1900s!

1900s

Vintage postcards for the 4th of July

Here’s a selection of vintage postcards to celebrate Independence Day — aka the 4th of July — all dating back to the first two decades of the 20th century!

1900s

About Mother’s Day: How it began, and who started it all (1909)

Have you ever wondered about Mother’s Day — like how it got started? In the early years of the 20th century, Anna Jarvis started a movement that spread throughout the world: the custom of observing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

1900s

Happy new year postcards: 1907-1911

Happy New Year! Here are some vintage postcards sent by people in the first part of the 1900s to wish friends and family a happy new

1900s

Christmas at Red Butte: A short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables (1909)

The short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery, ‘Christmas at Red Butte,’ was published after her best-known work, ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ first delighted readers. Read it for free here!

1900s

How to craft clever Christmas ornaments from paper (1960)

So pretty, such fun to do! One of the nicest Christmas customs we know is having both young and old make ornaments for the tree!

1900s

The picture jigsaw puzzle fad (1908)

Christmas puzzles: Ingenious homemade games for holiday gifts The picture puzzle fad has received a new lease on life, which promises to make this coming Christmas

Hotel Majestic and Central Park West, New York

1900s

New York’s summer splendor: Hotel Majestic’s roof garden (1903)

The Majestic is an attractive house at all times of the year, but it is additionally so in the summer, because of its beautiful roof garden.

1800s

Coney Island beach scenes (1890s-1920s)

Scene on the beach (1890s) Bathing at Coney Island, New York (1900) Coney Island in the early 1900s On the beach at Coney

1900s

Summer swimming in New York (1909)

Summer swimming in NYC Gotham’s youth are fortunate in the number of opportunities for swimming which the city’s configuration presents. Many a graceful and expert

1900s

Traveling requisites for the summer vacationist (1906)

Traveling requisites for the summer vacationist The trunk and traveling-bag maker is a wide awake man. He’s got to be so long as folks travel

1900s

How to host an up-to-date summer party (1906)

Summer parties and entertaining duties never cease — there are always garden fetes, weekends, luncheons and bridge suppers to be planned and executed.

1900s

Vintage wedding cake customs (1909)

The wedding cake, luscious and delicate of taste, with its wonderful exterior covering of ornamental sugar icing, wrought in various devices, is an institution honored by long patronage and full appreciation.

1900s

Marriage advice for young brides (1903)

Just as pretty and as neat as you can, dears, but do dress sensibly and comfortably.

1900s

How to make egg shell dolls (1909)

Make Easter egg shell dollies by Lina Beard The little eggshell dollies are so bewitching, you will surely want a lot of them to be

1900s

A new way to display wedding gifts (1902)

A recent bride chose an artistic method to display her wedding gifts. All the furniture was taken out of a room, and here she arranged her gifts most attractively.

1800s

Classic chocolate candy recipes for Christmas from a century ago

Classic chocolate candy recipes for Christmas from more than a century ago It would not seem to be Christmas to the little people without candy

A collection of classic Christmas candy recipes (1)

1800s

A collection of classic Christmas candy recipes from the early 1900s

What would Christmas be to the children — or even the grownups — without some of the special candies and good things appropriate to the

Vintage Thanksgiving postcard - holiday table

1900s

Tips for decorating the Thanksgiving table (1900)

Decorating the Thanksgiving table? Never before In the history of Thanksgiving dinners have the color schemes for trimming up the dining-room been so delightful as this year.

1900s

Decorating for an Easter wedding (1906)

An Easter wedding The week following Easter has always been a favorite time for weddings. Here are a few suggestions for the girls who may

1900s

Two fashionable antique wedding gowns from 1906

by Mrs Osborn, creator of fashions for the fashionable women of America A) Wedding dress with Valenciennes lace & embroidered roses A wedding gown of

1900s

Vintage Halloween mirror postcards (1906)

Of her Prince Charming she had long dreamed And now wished to see him, so it seemed. Into the mirror she looked with delight, But

1900s

The meaning of Labor Day (1904)

Labor Day marks a new epoch in the annals of human history. It differs from some of the other holidays of the year in that it glorifies no armed conflicts or battles of man’s prowess over man.