Holiday Greetings

Holiday teletype art: greetings from communications era past In the days before computers, wire service teletype machines clacked away in newspaper and broadcast newsrooms around the nation and the world, bringing the news from all points to local media outlets.

But in the quiet of the Christmas holiday in years past, in the offices of AP and United Press International, the teletype paper coming from the teletype printers would be graced with holiday art. 

For those of us who at an early stage in our careers had a turn with the lonely Christmas Eve or overnight vigil in the UPI offices  as older writers got to spend time with their families, the holiday art created and transmitted by teletype operators is one of the special memories of working for that now-dead company. 

The x's, o's, (or more frequently dollar signs and exclamation marks)  appeared a line at a time on the teletype paper until images of Christmas trees, Santa Claus, holly wreaths, etc., took shape.  

The uniqueness of the tree below is the Christmas greeting delivered in nearly 50 languages. 

Over the years I've been sending this, the art has stirred memories for those among the recipients of this weekly missive who once worked in newspaper or broadcast news rooms and recalled watching those creations emerge onto the rolls of teletype paper.

It also served as a reminder of earlier days for those in other industries who once used teletype machines for transmission of information, including one who recalled the occasional flawed keystrokes that occurred when creation of the art followed holiday parties.

 

Since each year brings new names to the list of those receiving Flynn's Harp, there are some who haven't previously seen the art. For that reason, and because fond memories are served by repetition, here is a the annual sharing of this Christmas art.

    

Happy Holidays!

                              "HUAN YING SHENG TAN CHIEH" 

                           "WESOLYCH SWIAT-SRETAN BOZIC" 

                         "MOADIM LESIMHA-LINKSMU KALEDU" 

                        "HAUSKAA JOULUA-AID SAID MOUBARK" 

              """""""'N  PRETTIG  KERSTMIS""""""" 

                              "ONNZLLISTA UUTTA VUOTTA" 

                           "Z ROZHDESTYOM  KHRYSTOVYM" 

                          "NADOLIG LLAWEN-GOTT NYTTSAR" 

                         "FELIC NADAL-GOJAN KRISTNASKON" 

                        "S  NOVYM  GODOM-FELIZ ANO NUEVO" 

                        "GLEDILEG JOL-NOELINIZ KUTLU OLSUM" 

                     "EEN GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR-SRETAN BOSIC" 

                    "KRIHSTLINDJA GEZUAR-KALA CHRISTOUGENA" 

                     SELAMAT HARI NATAL - LAHNINGU NAJU METU" 

                    """""""SARBATORI FERICITE-BUON  ANNO""""""" 

                          "ZORIONEKO GABON-HRISTOS SE RODI" 

                      "BOLDOG KARACSONNY-VESELE  VIANOCE " 

                     "MERRY CHRISTMAS  AND  HAPPY NEW YEAR" 

                      ROOMSAID JOULU PUHI -KUNG HO SHENG TEN" 

                      FELICES PASUAS -  EIN GLUCKICHES NEUJAHR" 

                  PRIECIGUS ZIEMAN SVETKUS  SARBATORI VESLLE" 

              BONNE  ANNEBLWYDDYN  NEWYDD DDADRFELIZ  NATAL" 

                          """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 

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