And after some time, the industry produced a wide range of postcards, pleasantly pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed materials.

And let the quality of printing and brightness of colors Soviet postcards inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were made up for by the originality of the plots and the high professionalism of the artists.

The real heyday of the Soviet New Year's card came in the 60s. The number of subjects has increased: motives such as space exploration and the fight for peace appear. Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: “Let New Year will bring success in sports!"

There was a variegated variety of styles and methods in the creation of postcards. Although, of course, it could not do without interweaving the content of newspaper editorials into the New Year's theme.
As the famous collector Evgeny Ivanov jokingly notes, on the postcards “the Soviet Father Frost actively participates in social and industrial life Soviet people: he is a railway worker at BAM, flies into space, melts metal, works on a computer, delivers mail, etc.

His hands are constantly busy with work - perhaps that’s why Santa Claus carries a bag of gifts much less often...” By the way, E. Ivanov’s book “New Year and Christmas in Postcards”, which seriously analyzes the plots of postcards from the point of view of their special symbolism, proves that there is much more meaning hidden in an ordinary postcard than it might seem at first glance...

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In this collection we have collected the best Soviet New Year cards from the 50s - 60s and a little later - New Year cards 70s. This is what it takes to create festive mood on New Year's Eve. We will also tell a fascinating story about how the tradition of giving such beauty appeared in the country.

History remembers the incident when Sir Henry Cole sent to friends holiday greetings in the form of a small drawing on cardboard. This happened in 1843. Since then, the tradition has taken hold throughout Europe and gradually reached Russia.

We immediately liked the postcards - they are accessible, pleasant and beautiful. The most famous artists had a hand in creating postcards. It is believed that the first Russian New Year's card was drawn by Nikolai Karazin in 1901, but there is another version - the first could have been Fyodor Berenstam, a librarian from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

Europeans mainly used biblical stories, and on Russian postcards one could see landscapes, everyday scenes, and animals. There were also expensive copies - they were made with embossing or with gold dust, but they were produced in limited quantities.

As soon as it died down October Revolution, Christmas symbols were banned. Now you could only see postcards with communist themes or with a children's story, but under strict censorship. By the way, postcards issued before 1939 have hardly survived.

Before the Great Patriotic War Postcards often depicted the Kremlin chimes and stars. During the war years, postcards appeared with support for the defenders of the Motherland, who were thus conveyed greetings to the front. It was in the 40s that one could get a postcard with a picture of Father Frost sweeping out the Nazis, or the Snow Maiden bandaging the wounded.

After the war, postcards became even more popular - this affordable way congratulate a relative or friend by sending him a message. Many Soviet families collected entire collections of postcards. Eventually, there were so many of them that the cards were used for crafts or collages.

Postcards became popular in 1953. Then Gosznak produced huge quantities using drawings Soviet artists. Still remaining under strict censorship, the subject matter of the postcards expanded: fairy tales, new buildings, airplanes, results of labor and scientific progress.

Anyone who looks at these cards will feel nostalgic. At one time, they were bought in packs to send to their acquaintances and friends throughout the USSR in different cities. There were also true connoisseurs of illustrations by Zarubin and Chetverikova - famous authors Soviet greeting cards Happy New Year.

Enthusiasts enjoyed learning from professionals, redrawing their favorite characters on wall newspapers and albums. Our grandmothers and mothers keep stacks of these cards on the top shelves of their closets.

In the 60s and 70s, postcards with athletes skiing or sledding on New Year's Day were popular.

They also often depicted couples and groups of young people celebrating New Year’s holidays in restaurants. On the postcards of this era one could already see wonders - television, champagne, mechanical toys, exotic fruits.

The theme of space also quickly spread in the 70s, but until recently the most popular were postcards with chimes and Kremlin stars - the most recognizable symbols of the USSR.

I bring to your attention a selection of postcards "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" 50-60s.
My favorite is a postcard by the artist L. Aristov, where belated passers-by are rushing home. I always look at her with such pleasure!

Be careful, there are already 54 scans under the cut!

(“Soviet artist”, artists Yu. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)

("Izogiz", 196o, artist Yu. Prytkov, T. Sazonova)

(“Leningrad Artist”, 1957, artists N. Stroganova, M. Alekseev)

("Soviet Artist", 1958, artist V. Andrievich)

(“Izogiz”, 1959, artist N. Antokolskaya)

V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)

(“Izogiz”, 1961, artists V. Arbekov, G. Renkov)

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1966, artist L. Aristov)

BEAR - SANTA CLAUS.
The bears behaved modestly, decently,
They were polite, they studied well,
That's why they have forest Santa Claus
I gladly brought a Christmas tree as a gift
A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Ruttera)

RECEPTION OF NEW YEAR'S TELEGRAMS.
On the edge, under a pine tree,
The forest telegraph is knocking,
Bunnies send telegrams:
"Happy New Year, dads, moms!"
(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist A. Bazhenov, poetry M. Ruttera)

(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist S.Bialkovskaya)

S.Bialkovskaya)

(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist S.Bialkovskaya)

(Map factory "Riga", 1957, artist E.Pikk)

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1965, artist E. Pozdnev)

(“Izogiz”, 1955, artist V. Govorkov)

(“Izogiz”, 1960, artist N. Golts)

(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist V. Gorodetsky)

("Leningrad Artist", 1957, artist M. Grigoriev)

("Rosglavkniga. Philately", 1962, artist E. Gundobin)

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1954, artist E. Gundobin)

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1964, artist D. Denisov)

("Soviet Artist", 1963, artist I. Znamensky)

I. Znamensky

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1961, artist I. Znamensky)

(Published by the USSR Ministry of Communications, 1959, artist I. Znamensky)

(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist I. Znamensky)

("Soviet Artist", 1961, artist K.Zotov)

New Year! New Year!
Start a round dance!
It's me, Snowman,
Not new to the skating rink,
I invite everyone to the ice,
Let's have a fun round dance!
(“Izogiz”, 1963, artist K.Zotov, poetry Yu. Postnikova)

V.Ivanov)

(“Izogiz”, 1957, artist I. Kominarets)

(“Izogiz”, 1956, artist K. Lebedev)

("Soviet Artist", 1960, artist K. Lebedev)

(“Artist of the RSFSR”, 1967, artist V. Lebedev)

("The State's vision of image-creative mysteries and musical literature of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic", 1957, artist V.Melnichenko)

("Soviet Artist", 1962, artist K.Rotov)

S. Rusakov)

(“Izogiz”, 1962, artist S. Rusakov)

(“Izogiz”, 1953, artist L. Rybchenkova)

(“Izogiz”, 1954, artist L. Rybchenkova)

(“Izogiz”, 1958, artist A. Sazonov)

(“Izogiz”, 1956, artists Yu. Severin, V. Chernukha)

Old New Year cards, so cheerful and kind, with a retro touch, have become very fashionable these days.

Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with a shiny anime, but old New Year’s cards immediately evoke nostalgia and touch us to the core.

Do you want to call a loved one born in the Soviet Union, memories of a happy childhood?

Send him a Soviet postcard with New Year's holiday, having written in it your most cherished wishes.

Scanned and retouched versions of such postcards can be sent over the Internet through any messenger or email in unlimited quantities.

Here you can download Soviet New Year cards for free.

And you can sign them by adding yourself

Enjoy watching!

A little history...

There is some controversy regarding the appearance of the first Soviet greeting cards.

Some sources claim that they were first published for the New Year, 1942. According to another version, in December 1944, from the countries of Europe liberated from fascism, soldiers began sending their relatives unprecedented colorful foreign New Year cards, and the party leadership decided that it was necessary to establish the production of their own, “ideologically consistent” products.

Be that as it may, the mass production of New Year's cards began only in the 50s.

The first Soviet New Year's cards depicted happy mothers with children and the Kremlin towers, later they were joined by Father Frost and the Snow Maiden.

And after some time, the industry produced a wide range of postcards, pleasantly pleasing to the eye in the windows of newsstands filled with traditionally discreet printed products.

And even though the quality of printing and the brightness of the colors of Soviet postcards were inferior to imported ones, these shortcomings were made up for by the originality of the subjects and the high professionalism of the artists.

The real heyday of the Soviet New Year's card came in the 60s. The number of subjects has increased: motives such as space exploration and the fight for peace appear.

Winter landscapes were crowned with wishes: “May the New Year bring good luck in sports!”

Postcards from past years reflected the trends of the times, achievements, changing direction from year to year.

One thing remained unchanged: the warm and sincere atmosphere created by these wonderful postcards.

Soviet-era New Year's cards continue to warm people's hearts to this day, reminding us of old times and the festive, magical smell of New Year's tangerines.

Old New Year cards are more than just a part of history. These cards made me happy Soviet people for many years, in the happiest moments of their lives.

Christmas trees, pine cones, happy smiles of forest characters and the snow-white beard of Father Frost - all these are integral attributes of Soviet New Year greeting cards.

They were bought in advance in pieces of 30 and sent by mail to different cities. Our mothers and grandmothers knew the authors of the pictures and hunted for postcards with illustrations by V. Zarubin or V. Chetverikov and kept them in shoe boxes for years.

They gave a feeling of the approaching magical New Year holiday. Today, old postcards are festive examples of Soviet design and simply pleasant memories from childhood.