Tag Archives: special occasion

New Year’s Eve, 1948

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Lynn

As much as I love New Year’s Eve, I don’t think I’ve ever had a much fun as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper was having at this 1948 party. Now there is a big laugh!  This photo is part of a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Ho, Ho, Humbug–Thoughts on the Christmas Sweater

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Lynn

When it comes to Christmas sweaters, call me Scrooge.  What is the point of making or buying something that is meant to be either silly or unattractive and can only be worn a limited time of the year?  Surely this … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, General | Tagged | 2 Comments

A Southern California Thanksgiving, 1906

Posted on November 25, 2021 by Lynn

Why is this family eating outside on Thanksgiving, you might ask.  Late November can be hot in Southern California, as the Santa Ana winds sweep in from the desert.  As I write on this Thanksgiving over 100 years later, the … Continue reading →

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Burning the Mortgage, 1915

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Lynn

Photographs often document big moments in life—the wedding, the baby, the new house.  A tradition in Black churches is to mark the end of mortgage payments, the moment when property finally belongs to the residents, with a mortgage burning ceremony.  … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

An Old Woman Meets the President, 1976

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Lynn

I’m glad that I didn’t pay a lot of money on eBay for this photo, which was listed as “artist Grandma Moses and President Ford.”  Just a minute’s research after it arrived revealed that the famous artist had been dead … Continue reading →

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An “Oriental Celebration,” 1960

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Lynn

Where do you stand of the issue of cultural appropriation?  You might remember the recent story of a white high school girl who was shamed for wearing a Chinese style quipao dress to her prom.  Some Asian Americans complained that … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Dress Up Shoes and the Older Woman

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Lynn

What shoes should women wear to fancy dress up events?  Looking at the images presented in most media, it would seem that sky high heels are the preferred option.  That might be okay for the younger set, but by the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2020s | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Gramie and Grampi Cut the Cake, 1960

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Lynn

“Gramie and Grampi with the cake Annie made for you,” reads the message on the back of this photo.  At first I thought this might be an anniversary celebration cake for the older couple, but the caption tells a different … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Holiday Greetings from Ida Arneson, 1957

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Lynn

Is anyone named Ida anymore?  It might be due for a comeback. This card was a lucky eBay find combing two favorite elements—an unlikely Christmas greeting and a sewing theme.  I suspect Mrs. Ida Arneson is a widow, since there … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Fourth of July in South Carolina, 1939

Posted on July 4, 2020 by Lynn

The Library of Congress has a series of photographs of an African American Fourth of July celebration on St. Helena Island off of South Carolina in 1939.  They were taken by Marian Post Wolcott, a photographer working for the Farm … Continue reading →

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