Christmas Cards

The first Christmas card was printed in London, in 1843. For many years it was customary for people to send letters to friends and loved ones at Christmas. That year, Sir Henry Cole, who was a prominent British citizen, had so many letters to send out that he enlisted the help of a local artist and had a batch of cards printed up. That very first card showed a happy family sitting around the table with a young child sipping a glass of wine. It also contained illustrations showing people helping the poor and needy. The design itself was criticized, but the idea of printed cards soon became very popular.

Early card designs often featured pastel flowers and woodland scenes that did not have much to do with Christmas. Later, cards in Victorian England became very elaborate. For example, some had three-dimensional scenes that would pop out when the card was opened. Others had pull-tabs that caused figures to move, and some were even adorned with ribbons and glitter. Some cards were cut into fancy shapes, such as fans, candles and Christmas bells. Early cards were sometimes made from tin or aluminium, and they were able to stand alone. In 1875, Louis Prang opened a lithograph business and began printing the first American Christmas cards. The designs continued to evolve, and they soon featured Christmas trees, carollers and Nativity scenes. Later, post cards were in fashion because they were cheaper to buy and mail. During the war years, patriotic designs featuring Uncle Sam became stylish. 1953, President Eisenhower sent out the first official White House Christmas card.

Today, Christmas cards have evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. Traditional store-bought cards are still popular, but hand-made paper cards have recently made a comeback. Advances in technology have also made it possible for most people to design and print their own cards. They are even able to make their own photo cards now. Some people choose to skip using paper completely, and they send Christmas ecards instead. Christmas cards have come a long way from their early beginnings, but they are now a cherished tradition.