Man and woman by a wagon in snow, with a turkey

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A man and a woman stand beside a wagon in deep snow, and a turkey hangs or lies nearby as the day's catch or gift. Holiday pictures like this one, taken around the turn of the twentieth century, often show rural families preparing for a festive meal, when a bird was a prized centerpiece of Christmas or New Year's dinner. Snow-covered scenes such as this were common in winter photography, when farm work slowed and people made trips to town for supplies and celebrations. Notice the wagon and the way the couple pose, which reveal much about everyday transport and the formal habits of photographers of that era.

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