McNear: Christmas cards tell stories throughout the decades

Have you ever wondered what happens to the Christmas cards you send out year after year? Many are hung on friends’ and families’ refrigerators, while some make their way to historic archives. The Kelley House Museum archive is home to numerous Christmas postcards, written in a variety of languages and spanning decades, from the late 1800s to the 1930s.

Over 10 archived Christmas postcards are addressed to Neiti (Miss) Hilja Ritaniemi, who lived in Elk, Albion, and Comptche at various times. These postcards represent Hilja’s only presence in the Kelley House archive. It is unclear who she is outside of her holiday correspondence.