What is the origin of Christmas cards?

Actual cards were preceded by "Christmas Pieces" written by school boys in England as greetings to their parents and as proof of their progress in the art of writing.

The Christmas card is a Victorian creation, which began as a kind of stationery. The first card was produced by Sir Henry Cole who worked for the British Postal Service, and an artist he hired named John Horsley. This early card was a depiction of a Christmas scene framed in three panels. In the center panel was a homey table scene: children, parents and grandparents seated and some raising their glasses for a toast. On either side were panels depicting acts of Christmas charity: to the left, feeding the hungry; to the right, clothing the naked. Underneath appears the now familiar phrase "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You."

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first 'Penny Post' public postal deliveries began. (Helped by the new railway system, the public postal service was the 19th century's communication revolution, just as email is for us today.) As printing methods improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. They became even more popular in Britain when a card could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one half-penny - half the price of an ordinary letter.

Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures - Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story. Today, pictures are often jokes, winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

The period between 1900 and the start of World War I was the golden age of postcards! There were postcards to announce or celebrate every occassion. Regular mail cost three cents while the bright cheerful postcard was only one cent to mail anywhere!

Collecting and trading postcards soon became a very popular hobby.

LINKS:

http://www.christmasarchives.com/photolibrary/gallery003.html

Cards1

See cards Garson Design has been sending throughout the years:
GDS Xmas Cards

Late sending out your christmas cards? Well just email em'
Click on link below to send ecards:
http://www.123greetings.com/






The new alternative to traditional holiday cards sent via regular (snail) mail is E-Cards or Electronic Cards.

E-Card Options

1. Make and Email Your Own

If you have "skills" you can make your own and email out a jpg or pdf final version that everyone can view. The advantage is that is more personal than a manufactured card and reflects your time and care to the recepient.
If you don't have the expertise or time the alternative is....

2. Online Premade E-Cards

www.123greetings.com (Hallmark’s Web site)121207

www.BlueMountain.com 121207

www.AmericanGreetings.com 121207

www.someecards.com 121207

The site, launched in 04/2007, was created by Brook Lundy and Duncan Mitchell and boasts that it “may or may not be the greatest thing since e-cards.” Lundy previously has written for The Onion, the satirical humor of which is reflected in the sensibility of Some E-cards. Their holiday cards are more “Bad Santa” than “Miracle on 34th Street.”

Reads one card: “I hope this holiday season doesn’t cause your suicide.” It contains more than 1,000 cards for all occasions, each of which is free to send.

3. Outsource Your Holiday Cards

This is either an...
...incredible time saving innovation that allows you to still send a traditional card. It could be the difference that allows you to even get cards out that year!....or...
...an inpersonal slap to the recepient that shows your laziness or poor planning and thus is ignored as such.
I guess the key is if it really "looks" like it came from you.

You can send a contact list and photos - the company designs, hand addresses and mails out cards for you. They can even use your text for the message. Drawback is for recepients that would recognize your handwriting - like mom!?! So maybe a better service would be a printed typeface message and a scan of the signature?

www.redstamp.com 121207 Located in Minneapolis, MN. Their calendar + reminder service ensures you will never forget an important event. Cost $2 to $5 per card includes postage.

www.sendhappy.com 121207 Handwritten cards, all the love, none of the hassle."