On a recent tour of the Archival collections, a visitor asked to view the contents of a box from the collection of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. The collection is large, more than 720 cubic feet and includes records from his service as a member of Congress through his three terms as Mayor. This particular box had an intriguing label: “Greeting Cards.”

Greeting Card, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia Collection, Subject Files, 1934-1945. NYC Municipal Archives.

A folder titled “1938 Greeting Cards List” contains three separate lists of individuals who sent holiday cards to the Mayor and, in some cases, their addresses. No less a personage than Jimmy Durante of New York made it to two of the lists as did Ichita Kobashi the mayor of Tokyo. Most of the cards were sent by New Yorkers although several hailed from other States and countries. The cards span the years 1938 to 1945.

While the lists detailed senders of Christmas and New Year’s cards, the folders also contain several birthday cards—some sent by random well-wishers and others by people known to the Mayor. Almost every sender of the birthday cards received either a generic thank you or a personalized one, depending on the familiarity of the sender. Very few of the holiday cards were acknowledged. Two senders who received thank you notes were in military service, one who previously served on the Mayor’s staff.

Correspondence, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia Collection, Subject Files, 1934-1945. NYC Municipal Archives.

Another recipient of a mayoral thank you was August Janssen, the proprietor of the “Famous Graybar Hofbrau,” who in 1938, 39, 40 and 1942 sent a promotional card along with a tasty dessert. Each was acknowledged gratefully.

The folders contain a smattering of cards memorializing other holidays—Easter, Thanksgiving, even St Patrick’s Day. Mostly there are birthday and holiday cards.

A somewhat shocking item is a hand-written letter that begins like this. “It is quite a lonely ‘Yuletide Season’ for me now, as my husband Ross E Allison passed away suddenly at the dinner table on Thursday evening at 7 o’clock, Nov 2nd 1939 at our cottage….” The Christmas card accompanying the letter identified the writer as a former schoolmate of the Mayor. Destitute and living in an auto park, she asked if LaGuardia could help her get a job at the upcoming World’s Fair.

Aside from that missive, the sentiments expressed in most cards are evergreen and can be found on holiday cards today.

The patriotic holiday cards are exceptions, reflecting the fraught period before and during World War Two.

As 2022 ends, we wish everyone peaceful and joyous holidays and offer best wishes for a healthy, happy New Year. This is our last blog for 2022. See you again next year!

Greeting Cards

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