Christmas Cards
Long before text messages and social media, Christmas cards were a cherished way to share holiday cheer across distances. Today, the Archives and Collection of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum preserve these cards as small but meaningful artifacts that reflect changing traditions, artistic styles, and ways of connecting with loved ones.
Early Christmas cards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries often featured elaborate illustrations, religious imagery, or winter scenes inspired by European traditions. Printed using lithography or embossing techniques, these cards were meant to be kept and displayed, not quickly discarded. Many included handwritten messages, offering modern readers an intimate glimpse into family relationships and seasonal sentiments.
As printing became more affordable in the early 20th century, Christmas cards grew more playful and accessible. Santa Claus emerged as a central figure, along with images of children, animals, and snowy landscapes—sometimes even in regions where snow was rare. Cards from the 1920s through the 1950s frequently reflected contemporary fashions and ideals, showing how holiday imagery evolved alongside popular culture.
World events also shaped Christmas cards. During wartime, cards often carried messages of hope, peace, and reunion, sometimes featuring patriotic symbols or references to loved ones serving overseas. These modest pieces of paper now serve as historical records of resilience and longing during difficult times.
By the mid-20th century, photographic Christmas cards became common, allowing families to share images of themselves along with seasonal greetings. While today’s holiday messages are often sent digitally, these earlier cards remind us of a time when communication required intention, patience, and a personal touch.
Preserved in our Collection, Christmas cards from holidays past are more than seasonal decorations—they are snapshots of everyday life, creativity, and connection. Through them, we see how people across generations expressed joy, faith, humor, and hope during the most meaningful time of the year.
Photos Above: Christmas cards dating to World War II from the Pierson Collection.
Photos Above: A Christmas card of sorts sent to Rachel Daniels from the wife of a Lighthouse Keeper. From the Daniels Family Collection in the Museum Archives.
United States Coast Guard Training Center: Christmas Menu 1942
During World War II, the grandeur of the Hotel Ponce de Leon in St. Augustine took on a very different role. Once a symbol of Gilded Age luxury, the hotel served as a United States Coast Guard Training Center, transforming its ornate halls into a place of discipline, instruction, and preparation for war.
This Christmas 1942 menu, preserved in the Museum’s collection, offers a poignant glimpse into the holiday experience of the men and women stationed there. For many service members, the training center was far from home during a season traditionally centered on family, comfort, and familiar traditions. The menu represents an effort to bring a sense of normalcy and celebration to an otherwise demanding and uncertain time.
Special holiday meals played an important role in maintaining morale during wartime. Carefully planned and thoughtfully presented, Christmas menus like this one reminded trainees that their service was recognized and that the holiday spirit endured even amid global conflict. Though the dishes listed may appear modest by modern standards, they symbolized generosity, unity, and care during a period of rationing and sacrifice.
Beyond the food itself, the menu stands as a reminder of the human experience of war. Each printed line represents individuals—young recruits, seasoned instructors, and support staff—who gathered together on Christmas Day, sharing a meal while facing an uncertain future. For some, it may have been their first Christmas away from home; for others, one of many spent in service.
Today, this Christmas 1942 menu connects us to that moment in history, when the Hotel Ponce de Leon became not just a training center, but a place where holiday traditions were adapted and preserved under extraordinary circumstances. As an artifact, it reflects resilience, community, and the enduring importance of remembrance during the holidays.
Photos Above: The 1942 Christmas menu from the United States Training Center located in the former Hotel Ponce de Leon in downtown St. Augustine.
Here’s the menu (featured in the middle photo):
Tomato Cocktail
Turkey Soup with Rice
Roast Brown Turkey Oyster Dressing
Buttered Asparagus Birds Eye Green Peas
Giblet Gravy Candied Yams
Lettuce and Tomato Salad
Free French Dressing*
Hearts of Celery Olives
Cranberry Sauce
Fruit Cake Mince Pie
Ice Cream
Apples Oranges Tangerines
Cigarettes Candy Nuts
Navy Coffee
* Free French Dressing meant that the typical French Dressing recipe was adapted to account for rationing of wartime goods and included different ingredients.