Soviet industry greets the New Year

Ages ago I bought very cheaply on Ebay a job lot of Soviet-era greetings postcards – most of them having been written and sent in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. I find it quite touching to read the cheerful and affectionate messages between friends and relatives, and look at the destination addresses. The cards mark occasions such as birthdays and the major Soviet celebrations such as 8 March (Women’s Day) and 1 May (International Workers’ Day) – but most of them are New Year greetings.  Christmas, of course, was not acknowledged by the state in the USSR, so the big winter holiday came at New Year.

I wrote a previous post about the USSR’s achievements in space being referenced in such greetings cards. I also like the ones showing building sites, cranes, pylons, dams and little citizens engaged in welding or other industrial activities, all doing their bit towards the fulfillment of the five-year plans to develop the Soviet economy.

С новым годом – Happy New Year!