The Ebby Halliday Papers contain 25 years of Christmas holiday greetings sent by Ebby and her husband Maurice Acers. These undated, paper postcards and folded cards are all 8 inches by 9 inches and feature a photograph of Ebby and Maurice from a special event or celebration that took place that year. The back of the cards deliver a joyful holiday message such as “Seasons Greetings”, “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays”, and “Happy New Year”.
Some cards show the couple’s whimsical and humorous side.
In other years, they choose to celebrate their love and appreciation for the Lone Star State and the city of Dallas, which Ebby called home since 1938.
Some cards reveal their elegant side and penchant for dressing with style. Ebby’s humble beginnings working in hat shops and fine department stores set the stage for her reputation as one Dallas’ best dressed. Whether the photo was taken in Rome at an international real estate conference or at the foot of the stairs at their home on Preston Road, the cards conveyed the couple’s glamour and poise.
A few of the cards emphasize the couple’s commitment to the many causes they supported over the years, such as the Beautify Texas Council and the Clown Ministry. In one particular year, Ebby and Maurice chose not to include a photograph of themselves on the front, but rather a collage of their business and civic achievements. The interior of this card says, “Many symbols, crests, shields, letterheads, logos…but these are only the identifying marks of the organizations through which we have the most valuable heartwarming experience of all…friends like you.”
Project archivist Krishna Shenoy will be working on processing the Ebby Halliday papers thanks to a generous gift of the Ebby Halliday Foundation, to preserve and make accessible the work of the First Lady of Real Estate.
Contact Samantha Dodd, curator of the Archives of Women of the Southwest for additional information or assistance with accessing the collections. For access to these collections or to learn more about the women of the southwest, be sure to visit the DeGolyer Library and check out our books, manuscripts, pamphlets, and photographs.