My grandparents, Paul and Isabel Gerhard, started making Christmas cards in 1936, when they were living in Tokyo, Japan. This continued for 46 years, up until the year before my grandfather’s death in 1982.
The first five years — through 1940 — featured greetings from Japan and the early additions to their family, with the births of my aunts Laura, Marilyn and Sarah.
The 1941 card shows the three girls in America, after the family moved to the States less than a year before the outbreak of war between Japan and the U.S.
I love the pre-Photoshop cut-and-paste technique my grandfather often used in the cards. 1945, 1946 and 1947 are nice examples; the 1947 combo of diorama with cut-and-paste heads is one of my favorites. On the other hand, the 1949 beach scene looks a little rushed in its execution.
I suppose by posting these here I’m trying, in some small way, to make up for the fact that I don’t send out Christmas cards every year. Many thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for the Christmas memories!