Miss Lillian's Postcards: Father Remains in California for the Holidays

Sender: Henry Maguire, Lillian's father
Addressee: Miss Lill Maguire, 1902 G Terry Ave, Seattle, Washington
Postmark: Santa Barbara, Cal
Date: Dec 24, 1909
Image: Santa Barbara Mission, California. Founded 1786.

The Old Mission in Santa Barbara is still there, and looking much the same as it does in this vintage postal. See http://www.santabarbaramission.org/ for more information about this beautiful site.

Message:

12-23-09

Dear Daughter,

Wishing you

a Merry Xmass

And a happy new year.

Your father

Henry Maguire

Still in California, Lillian's father wrote a Christmas greeting on this postcard on December 23rd, and then posted it on December 24th. This postcard means that Lillian's father was in California for Thanksgiving as well. He is far from all his family at a time when being with family is important. 

While I have been assuming Lillian's father went to California for business, another possibility was that he went for his health. Santa Barbara at this time was a world-famous resort town, in the sense of health resorts as well as tourism. While we will never know, I think this latter possibility is the most likely reason. Lillian, after all, went to Seattle for her health. Perhaps her father suffered from health problems in St Louis as well. Staying at a resort for his health would account for the long stay in California.