Vintage Dutch Christmas Card: Child at Snowy Gate with Holly

What makes this card most absurd is the smirking child in a blue coat apparently banging on a wooden gate with a heart-shaped cutout at night in a blizzard, clutching holly and an ornament like she's about to perform some kind of festive ritual. Her dog — wearing a red collar and gamely carrying an envelope sealed with what appear to be red wax seals in its mouth — has clearly been conscripted into whatever scheme this is, because apparently the best way to wish someone 'Vrolijk Kerstfeest' is by having a spaniel deliver your holiday correspondence. The snow-laden pine trees and brick wall create a perfectly cozy backdrop for what is, functionally, a child lurking outside a locked gate after dark with a smug expression that suggests she already knows what's inside the envelope and it is not good news for you.