A 1969 EASTER GREETING FROM GRANDPA

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY            2013

     44 years ago, a loving grandpa sent his Easter greeting to the Ford Family on Gager Street in Pacoima California. On April 1st, he wrote:

      "Hi Fellows; this is no April First joke.  I wish you all a pleasant and lively Easter season. May not see you until after Easter. Keep busy. Love Grandpa." 

Grandpa's affectionate postcard now includes his thoughts in the permanent history of the San Fernando Valley.

HAPPY EASTER FROM YOUR MUSEUM

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY       2013

 1890 Easter Card - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2010.
Your Museum collects and preserves artifacts of holidays celebrated in the San Fernando Valley. 

1930 Easter Card - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2010.

HAVE A SPLENDID EASTER SEASON FROM THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY        2011

Easter Greetings - Historic postcard - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gerald Fecht 2010. (click on image to enlarge)

Magical symbols abound on this little card, printed in Germany at the turn of the 20th century. The child holds a wand of white flowers sacred to the ancient Goddess Easter (Oestre or Eostre). She or he is wearing a red Persian hat. The chick looks a lot like a crowing rooster, but since there is abundance of eggs may be a hen. 

Eggs since the dawn of recorded history have been symbolic of the resurrection of life in Spring. The Hare is the consort of Lady Easter and is related to the Indo-European God Hari. The Hare is the consort of the Goddess of Spring. The child plays the shepherd's Pan pipe yet another sign of Spring and the return of flocks to mountain meadows.

Christians, at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, adopted the ancient feast of the Goddess of the Moon and the Dawn as the time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

GOOD FRIDAY LONG COMMENORATED IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  2011

The observation of Good Friday has been part Valley culture for hundreds of years. It's first commemoration arrived with Spanish missionaries who were members of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), called Franciscans.

At 3 pm in the church of the Mission San Fernando Rey de España, altar cloths were removed, the tabernacle box was unlocked and left open with the sacred vessels stored away. Statues were covered with black cloth and paintings turned to face the wall. Holy water fountains were emptied and all candles extinguished, not to be lighted again until Easter Sunday. The great mission bells were stuffed with cloth, and smaller altar bells replaced by wooden clappers that sounded a lot like castanets. After 3 pm no one genuflected until the Easter Mass to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by Roman soldiers on this day.

In the Mission courtyard, a black banner was draped over the great wooden cross. Many Spanish and Indian Catholics ate nothing from Good Friday afternoon until the Easter Pascal candle was lighted on Easter morning.

Historic Easter Greeting Card - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2011 - (click on image to enlarge)

HAPPY EASTER TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Vintage Easter postcard - digital photo - gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Fred Berk 2008 (click on image to enlarge)
Greetings to The Museum Community.
Here's hoping that you all had a happy and safe Easter. My blog wouldn't open, so I'm just now able to post on our historic postcard.
I fixed a big Easter dinner for my family. Ham, sweet potatoes, baked squash, green beans, yeast rolls, salad and fruit salad. Yesterday, I was forced to watch Orlando Hudson complete the first "cycle" (home run, triple, double and single) in a Dodger game for over 40 years. Opening Day at the Dodgers! Living in the San Fernando Valley! Working to bring about The Museum of the San Fernando Valley! Song birds nesting on my Tarzana patio! Spring is here!
The good life.