Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Down Here & Up There






These postcards are examples of a type that was popular with winter tourists and snowbirds (those who move from a cold to a warm place in the winter) in Florida. The postcards contrast the warm weather here in Florida with the cold weather there up North. This selection features representations of warm sunny Florida beaches compared to snow and ice elsewhere. Other postcards of this type contrast picking oranges with throwing snowballs and water skiing with snow skiing.

While it usually is warm in Florida, that isn't always true. The second card has a printed description on the back extolling the balmy Florida weather:
The climate in Florida rivals the Italian Riviera. The Winter sky is always smiling and the beaches are always crowded with happy throngs enjoying December's breezes as balmy as any May-day zephyr. It's a far cry from the sleet and snow and blizzards of the North.
The written message, mailed  from Miami on January 28, 1955, tells a different story:
Don't believe all it says above. It has been cold here and still is. But the sun was out today, and if you could sit in it and out of the breeze, it was warm. Haven't been anywhere near the water yet and no fishing yet. Eating plenty of citrus fruit. Much snow up there? See you in the Spring.

To See More Vintage Images


25 comments:

  1. Most appropriate, thanks for sharing them.

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  2. Excellent tie in, especially given Alan's comments about the hemispheres.

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  3. Fun post with some realism in that final message.

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  4. This type of postcard doesn't exist any more I think. But when on holidays we buy a newspaper to find out whether it is raining at home :)

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  5. Oh yes, great fun (though there's an element of crowing going on I think - shouldn't they say 'Wish you were here too'?

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  6. I wish we Brits had such a contrast!(here it would be 2 pictures of Rain!)

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  7. I think that the third one convinced me to pack my bags! It is -9* here in La Pine, Oregon as I am visiting my Sepia Saturday friends.

    I love the postcard choices that you have given us today.

    Kathy M.

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  8. These are fun! Thanks for sharing them.

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  9. It's warm today where we are in the midwest but these postcards are pretty convincing.

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  10. An almost perfect take on the theme. And a reminder what a massive continent North America is.

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  11. Oh what fun it is to glimpse at all your timely postcards. Very lovely!

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  12. Great postcards, but I must admit I do like the contrast of the seasons. What I don't like however is grey, drizzle in winter when it's meant to be white and snowy, or in summer when it's meant to be hot and sunny. We've had a couple of hard winters here in the UK for the past couple of years, but unfortunately very poor summers.

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  13. I must say I like "real" winter weather, though not for too long. If the cold is prolonged, no doubt being able to follow the sun would be an advantage.

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  14. These are wonderful. I see where two of them are Teich. Any chance the other two are by a company out of North Carolina? I bought a few years ago that looked close to be Teich, but there was just something a little off about them. They weren't quite as good. Almost like bad copies.

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  15. These are wonderful. I see where two of them are Teich. Any chance the other two are by a company out of North Carolina? I bought a few years ago that looked close to be Teich, but there was just something a little off about them. They weren't quite as good. Almost like bad copies. They were from North Carolina.

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  16. These are fun, Postcardy. I must admit, I read a bit of your caption as, "the beaches are always crowded with happy THONGS", but then I blinked and realized the error of my ways. Ha ha.

    Kat

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  17. Those were really fun postcards. So many that were all so similar.
    It reminds me of our own sunny California right now. We're shivering in the 40s and 50s - much colder than the east coast. Brrrrr.
    Nancy

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  18. Great cards. In the days before snow plows, efficient heating systems, and fresh fruit the warmth of Florida was an attractive novelty for Northerners. But only in the winter, since it wasn't until window screens, air conditioning, and ice makers became common that Florida opened up to summer recreation.

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  19. Talk about rubbing it in! Those postcards are a hoot.

    I like the message written on the back of the last postcard telling how it really was in Florida.

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  20. fun postcards! Thanks for posting them. Since I moved from Northern Wisconsin to Florida by myself when I was 19 just because of the weather, I always get a kick out of cards like this :D

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  21. I'm sure it is ABOVE the freezing point, contrary to here where it is like the North Pole right now...
    Though I know Florida do get those occasional freezes...
    :)~
    HUGZ

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