Christmas & New Year 1907-08 - Sepia Saturday 653

Cards sent to my great-aunt Gerda in Chicago for Christmas and New Year 1907/08.

(See previous post  - Sepia Saturday 652 - for more background)

R.011.02

God Jul tillönskas dig af: Agnes Andersson
Merry Christmas from Agnes Andersson

Ett Godt nytt år önskas Gerda af vännen Hilda Olson

Happy New Year, to Gerda from your friend Hilda Olson

R.012.02

Tack kära Gerda för kortet som du sände mig i jul. Jag är frisk och kry, hoppas du är också frisk. Ett gott nytt år tillönskar jag dig. Vännen Helén 

Thanks dear Gerda for the card you sent me for Christmas. I am well and healthy, I hope you are well too. I wish you a happy new year. Your friend Helén 

R.013.01

Min kära Gerda! Mottag härmed min varma och hjärtliga nyårshälsning med glädje och mycken välsignelse af Gud, och må vi under detta ingångna år komma i innerligare förening med vår Frälsare. Din vän Ester Svenson

To Miss Gerda Ekman, c/o Teckla Ericson, 3416 Michigan Ave., City

(Please forward this to Gerda)

 
My dear Gerda, I'm sending you my warmest and heartfelt greetings for the new year, with joy and much blessing from God, and wishing that during this new year we will be getting even closer united with our Saviour. Your friend, Ester Svenson

R.013.02

Happy New Year - B.H.

R.014.01 - With best New Year Wishes 

Chicago den 29/12. Tack för kortet! När kommer du opp? Låt mig veta när din dag är att stanna inne. En vacker dag kommer jag nog och ser dig om det passar för dig. Vänligen, Mary, 1619 N Campbell, City. * - Hälsningar från gubben min. 

Chicago 29.12. Thanks for the card! When will you be coming up [to see us]? Let me know when it's your day to stay in. Some day I'll try to come and see you if it's convenient for you. Best regards, Mary, 1619 N Campbell, City. - Greetings from my hubby. 

Cf. an earlier post, Chicago Then and Now (for Sepia Saturday 636): In December 1906, one Christmas card was sent to Gerda at 1619 N Campbell Ave and forwarded from there to 3328 Michigan Ave. N Campbell Ave may have been where Gerda worked before she started her job at Michigan Ave. Or she may have been staying with a friend there between employments.  

R.014.02

Jag önskar dig all lycka och välgång på det nya året 1908 - Broder Gust.

Wishing you all the best for the new year 1908 - Brother Gust.

(Gerda's brother Gustaf in Galeton, Pennsylvania. He and Gerda emigrated around the same time, in the autumn of 1902, and both returned to Sweden in 1911. While Gerda worked as a maid in Chicago, Gustaf spent most of his time in America in Galeton, working at a lumber yard.) He seems to have been called 'Gust' during his years in America - the full name Gustaf hard to pronounce in English.) 

R.015.02

A Merry Christmas to you. - Signe P.

R.016.01

God jul önskas af Anna Johnson, till Gerda

Merry Christmas from Anna Johnson, to Gerda

R.016.02

Många hälsningar från O.S.
Many greetings from O.S.

R.017.01

From Julia A

From J.L.

My impression from these cards is that most of Gerda's friends in Chicago were other Swedish maids. 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 653: 
"Preparations for Christmas 1907"

G.078.02-G.080.01 - Christmas and New Year Greetings (c. 1915)

Bara ett av dessa jul/nyårs-kort (det sista) har ett läsbart datum som bekräftar att det sändes 1915. Eftersom tre av korten är från Oscar, och två från Storegården, så är sannolikt åtminstone två av dem från ett annat år. Alla är dock adresserade till Gustaf i Brålanda, där han bodde 1914-17.

Only one of these Christmas and New Year cards (the last one) has a readable date confirming that it was sent in 1915. Since three of the cards are from Oscar, and two from Storegården (the family farm at Fristad), at least two of the cards are probably from another year. However, all of them were sent to Gustaf at Brålanda, where he lived between 1914-17. 

G.078.02

To: Herr Gust Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: Oscar (Norrköping - year unknown)

God Jul tillönskas o hjärt. hälsningar från oss samtl. / Oscar
Merry Christmas and best wishes from us all / Oscar

G.078.03

GODT  NYTT ÅR - Lydia Svanström

To: Herr Gust. Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: (The family at) Storegården (Fristad) (year unknown)

God o fridfull Jul och ett gott nytt år tillönskas av oss samtliga i Storeg.
Happy and Peaceful Christmas and Happy New Year from everybody at Storegården.

G.079.01

To: Herr Gustav Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: Gustav Nilsson (year unknown)

En glad och angenäm Jul tillönskas Gustav, av Gustav Nilsson
I wish you a merry and pleasant Christmas - to Gustav from Gustav Nilsson

G.079.02

To: Herr Gustav Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: Storegården (Fristad) (year unknown)

En god jul och ett gott nytt år. Tillönskas av samtliga i Storeg.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Storegården.

G.079.03

To: Herr Gust. Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: Oscar & family (year unknown)

God Jul o hjärtl. hälsningar fr oss samtl. - Ännu ej fått refl. å H-d * men skall nu på nyåret söka få uträttat något därmed. Vi har sträng vinter här nu o väl så där. Kommer du ej häråt snart - ? [---?]

* (Tyvärr har jag ingen aning om vad det var Oscar väntade på eller hoppades få uträttat.)

Merry Christmas and best wishes from all of us. I still haven't received [-?-] * but will try to get something done about it at New Year. We have bitter winter here now [and probably there too][?] Won't you be coming this way soon - ? [---?]

*(I have no idea what it was that Oscar was waiting for, or was hoping to get sorted.)

G.080.01

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From : Oscar & family (Norrköping, 31.12.1915)

Gott Nytt År tillönskas och hj. hälsn. fr. oss alla. / Oscar - Den 31/12 -15.

Happy New Year and best wishes from us all. / Oscar, 31.12.1915

G.064.03 - G.065.03 Christmas / New Year 1913/14 - Good Bye Värmland, Hello Dalsland

 G.064.03

To: Herr Gust Ekman, Speked, Vermls Nyseter

God Jul och Gott Nytt År tillönskas av Edla Johnsson
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Edla Johnsson

G.065.01

To: Herr Gust. Ekman, Speked, Värmlans Nyseter

God Jul och Gott Nytt År tillönskas av Emma Johnsson

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Emma Johnsson

G.065.02

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Speked, Värml. Nyseter

God Jul tillönskas av din söta vän
Merry Christmas from your sweetheart ('sweet friend')

G.065.03

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Backa, Brålanda
From: Oscar (Gustaf's brother), sent from Norrköping 31.12 1913

Godt nytt år! Hjärtl. hälsningar fr. oss alla. / Oscar

Happy New Year! Best wishes from us all. / Oscar

- - -

At Christmas 1913, some cards are still being sent to Gustaf at Värmlands Nysäter. The two Christmas cards at the top are from Edla Johnsson and Emma Johnsson. From previous cards I assume that these two ladies also lived in that neighbourhood. The third one is from someone who just signs herself  "your sweet friend" (sweetheart). The fourth card, with New Year greetings from Gustaf's brother Oscar, shows that by then, Gustaf had moved to Brålanda in Dalsland - where I know that he was to remain for some years onward. 

To me the handwriting on all three Christmas cards looks rather similar; which makes it hard to guess whether Gustaf was perhaps leaving behind some girl with a broken heart in Värmland; or moving to Dalsland to be closer to a sweetheart there... (I suppose both could be true!) 

(Cf. the post Gustaf-dagen 6 juni 1913. There was an anonymous romantic message among those cards as well.) 

G.057.02 - G.058.03 Happy New Year 1913

 

Längjum Storegården d. 1:1-13 (1.1.1913)
Godt nytt år önskas Eder! E Osbeck
Happy New Year to you! E Osbeck

I recall another recent card in the album signed E Obk, that must be the same person. I think the first name may have been Ernst, but I don't know where I got that from. (Possibly from hearing the name mentioned some time in the past; but I'm not sure.) The card being written from the same address as it's addressed to makes me wonder if he was a friend temporarily staying with them, or maybe a farmhand living there? 

Gott Nytt År - Happy New Year

Tillönskar fam. Ekman (Norrköping 31.12.1912)
(from Gustaf's brother Oscar & family)

Gott nytt år 1913! Tillönskas av Sally, Hildur o Nils

Happy New Year 1913! from Sally, Hildur & Nils

This card was (presumably) written by my grandmother Sally (born in February 1900, so soon to turn 13). Nils was her  brother, 1½ years younger. Hildur (20) was half-sister to Sally and Nils on their mother's side; and step-sister to Gustaf. 

Anonymous card, sent to Gustaf at Storegården in 1912.

[Chicago, March 1912]

Best Wishes for  a happy Easter from a friend