Christmas Cards
by Donna Sutherland
An early Christmas card of sorts probably started in Britain where ornamental text and pictures were exchanged during the more important religious festivals. In ancient Egypt, people exchanged scarabs to celebrate the new year. The Romans give away gifts lamps with the words “ May the New Year be Happy and Lucky for You” written on them. The first commercial Christmas card appeared in Britain in 1843. Henry Cole lithographed and put on sale a card designed by J.C. Horsley. The card had three panels and read “ A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” The two side panels showed the hungry being fed and the poor being clothed. The central picture on the card showed a family party toasting with each other. The card caused a stir in temperance circles because of the prominent illustration of alcoholic consumption. He made 1,000 copies and tried to sell them in London. The cards didn't sell well and he did not repeat a greeting card business venture. One of the first American Christmas cards appeared in Boston. A German-American lithographer, Louis Prang, started printing seasonal greeting cards in 1875 and they were an immediate success. He also popularized the cards by putting on nationwide contests for the best Christmas card design with a chance at cash prizes. The earliest holiday cards presented different designs and themes than what we are used to seeing. Turkeys, fireside scenes, and plum pudding were common designs on some of the first cards. One popular card had a child sitting on a bed surrounded by toys and the words “ New Year, New Joys, New Books, New Toys.” Another card had a row of stockings hung on a tree and accompanying rhyme that told of birds finding and filling the stockings with gifts. During the Victorian period, most cards focused on New year's wishes more than the Christmas gift giving theme. Puritanical traditions discouraged the association of merriment with Christmas or any religious holiday. Before 1863, if you sent a letter to a friend you would place your postage on the letter, and that friend would have to play someone to get it from the post office, or they would have to travel there themselves to pick it up. After 1863, Abraham Lincoln, once a postmaster in Illinois, authorized free delivery of mail in the big cities. By 1880, the post office began asking people to “ Post early for Christmas” because of the large volume of cards being sent. In 1997, Americans purchased over seven billion greeting cards. Half of these cards are seasonal and Christmas cards make up 2.6 billion of all cards sold. Today you can bypass the post office and send a “cyber card”. Unlike a paper card, a cyber card is sent through email. The sender of the cyber card chooses music, animation, and a message from various greeting card web sites on the computer. Some examples of these electronic cards include dancing and singing Christmas trees, pulsating stars, Santa riding a sleigh across the computer screen, and the three wise men pointing at the Star of Bethlehem while a Christmas carol plays in the background. You can alter the message, music, animation, and colors to suit your taste. Some people prefer a more personalized greeting, but I enjoy finding a new, attractive Christmas card in the mailbox during the holiday season. The seemingly endless variations of cards out there add to my holiday mood. |
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