But give me holly, bold and jollyHonest, prickly, shinning holly. Pluck me holly leaf and berry. For the day when we make merry. -Christina G. RossettiThe little lady in this 1906 scene looks as though she has just stepped from the pages of the Christmas issue of St. Nicholas magazine for children, a popular publication at the turn of the century. Her coat, hat and buttoned leggings are of red velvet, and she plucks a spring of berries and leaves from the well-filled holly bush growing in the snow. She wears white gloves. A white curled ostrich tip adorns her bonnet, a trimming much in vogue at the time. No doubt her mother's hat had a similar trim. Bits of glitter have been pasted over parts of the picture by the postcard manufacturer, accentuating the details of the frosty scene. Kansas City Times, December 19, 1969.
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