Australian Christmas Postcards

We've had a look at some swell early twentieth century Christmas postcards already this month, including a few with images that seemed to have little do with Christmas. Well, the Australians of the 1890s-1910s took it one step farther and simply stamped Christmas wishes onto any random photograph to make holiday postcards (at least, it was pretty common; I don't have a representative sample, but there's certainly it was popular!). I suppose it makes some sense-- send a picture of the place you live along with your greetings, especially to someone living far away--but certainly it's a bit random, and delightful. 

And Merry Christmas to the Aussies, who get it before most of us, after all!

Selected from a larger Christmas card set by the State Library of Queensland (except two, from the Powerhouse Museum). Many thanks to Tania Schafer, curator of that set!

State Library of Queensland

Sutton's Beach, Redcliffe, c. 1908. Source

State Library of Queensland

Merry Christmas from Queensland, c. 1900. Source

State Library of Queensland

The post office at St. George, c. 1905. Source

State Library of Queensland

Albert St. Methodist Church in Brisbane, c. 1910. Source

State Library of Queensland

Amby Downs station, 1946. Source

State Library of Queensland

Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, c. 1908. Source

State Library of Queensland

Bowen, Queensland, c. 1892. Source

State Library of Queensland

Horses and buggies at Cleveland lighthouse, 1908. Source

State Library of Queensland

Australian troops, barracks, and rifle range, 1916. Source

State Library of Queensland

Passengers boarding a steamer at Redcliffe, c. 1911. Source

State Library of Queensland

Mt. Abundance Station, c. 1898. Source

Powerhouse Museum

Boats in an unidentified harbour, c. 1900. Source

State Library of Queensland

Bush workers on a tea break, c. 1905. Source

State Library of Queensland

A view of the main street in Cleveland (an Australian one!), 1908. Source

Powerhouse Museum

Leaving Port Jackson, c. 1900. Source

And three that don't fit the theme, but are worth sharing anyway:

State Library of Queensland

A boy and pigs on leashes, c. 1920. Source

State Library of Queensland

Santa in Australia, c. 1910. Source

State Library of Queensland

A Christmas postcard sent by American Walter Guess, 1942. Source