Spreading holiday cheer with greeting cards is a tradition dating back to the late 1800s. With the holiday season upon us, we wanted to share some of the imaginative cards living in the collections of the State Archives. They might even inspire you to create your own.

These cards from the Florida Department of Education are hand-painted drafts by an unknown artist. On one of the cards below, you can see the artist’s notes about the sizing of the final product:

From Series S1466, Florida Department of Education, Office of Public Information Subject Files, Box 3.

From Series S1466, Florida Department of Education, Office of Public Information Subject Files, Box 3.

From Series S1466, Florida Department of Education, Office of Public Information Subject Files, Box 3.

This undated handmade card, complete with a glitter-outlined Christmas tree, comes from David, the son of Florida women’s rights activist Roxcy O’Neal Bolton:

Collection M94-1, Roxcy O’Neal Bolton Papers, 1956-2016, Box 55.

And if you prefer family photos to homemade art for your holiday greetings, perhaps this card from the Joseph Steinmetz collection will inspire you. Steinmetz created several unique holiday cards like this one incorporating the family pet:

The 1936 Christmas card from the Steinmetz family featuring their dog, Peter Pan.

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