Do you ever wonder where we get all our Christmas traditions? In this episode we will explore the history of the Christmas card and its many forms and purposes throughout the year. From the origin of one clever man saving time during the business of the holiday season, to the creation of one of the most well-known greeting card companies in the world: Hallmark.

References:

Ballard, Linda M. “Some Christmas Customs.” Archaeology Ireland 3, no. 4 (1989): 132–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20558315.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "John Callcott Horsley." Encyclopedia Britannica, October 15, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Callcott-Horsley.

Hanc, John. 2015. "The History of the Christmas Card." Smithsonian Magazine. December 9. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-christmas-card-180957487/.

Ristow, Walter W. “Worlds of Christmas Greetings.” The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress 35, no. 4 (1978): 234–41. http://www.jstor.org/stable/29781786.

Zakreski, Patricia. “The Victorian Christmas Card as Aesthetic Object: ‘Very Interesting Ephemeræ of a Very Interesting Period in English Art-Production.’” Journal of Design History 29, no. 2 (2016): 120–36. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44652020.

2024. "History." Hallmark. https://corporate.hallmark.com/about/hallmark-cards-company/history/.

In honor of the summer Olympics happening in Paris, we are going to dive into some dark Paris tourist history. It’s not the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, or even the spooky catacombs. At one point in history, the Paris Morgue was open to the public for the purpose of viewing the recently deceased in hopes of identifying unclaimed bodies. This quickly spiraled into one of the most popular attractions in Paris, even being listed in tourism guidebooks as “the best free theatre in Paris”.

References

Cain, T. (2015, June 1). Paris Morgue and a public spectacle of death. Retrieved from Wellcome Collection: https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/W-RTBBEAAO5mfQ3M

Magano, J., Fraiz-Brea, J. A., & Leite, A. (2022). Dark tourist: Profile, practices, motivations and wellbeing. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(19): 12100. .

Meuseum for Sepulchral Culture. (2023, July 30). The Unknown girl from the Seine. Retrieved from Meuseum for sepulchral culture: https://www.sepulkralmuseum.de/EN/research/library-collections/insights-into-our-collection/the-unknown-girl-from-the-seine

Scrivner, C. (2021). The psychology of morbid curiosity: Development and initial validation of the morbid curiosity scale. Elsevier Ltd, 183, Article 111139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111139.

World War II was a devastating event that led to the tragic loss of millions of lives. However, Wojtek the bear provided a little glimmer of hope during a dark time. From his humble beginning as a cub in young boy's knapsack, to the honor of being bestowed an official title and rank in the Polish army, to his eventual retirement to the Edinburgh Zoo, Wojtek impacted the lives of everyone he interacted with, offering love, laughter, entertainment, and even a helping hand (or paw).

References

Edencamp. (2022, May 13). #Forgotten Friday: The Bear Soldier of the Second World War. Retrieved from Eden Camp Moder History Museum: https://edencamp.co.uk/blog/forgotten-friday-the-bear-soldier-of-the-second-world-war/

Murtoff, J. (N/D, N/D N/D). Wojtek the Bear. Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/casualties-of-World-War-II-2231003

Orr, A. (2012). Wojtek the bear: Polish war hero. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited.

Tousignat, M. (2021, August 30). In World War 2, a bear became companion and helper to Polish soldiers. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/bear-helps-world-war-ii-soldiers/2021/08/30/fd22b7a4-ee70-11eb-a452-4da5fe48582d_story.html

Waxman, O. B. (2017, April 8). The Bear Who Became a Cigarette-Smoking, Beer-Drinking World War II Hero. Retrieved from Time.com: https://time.com/4731787/wojtek-the-bear-history/