How did Sending Christmas Cards Become a Tradition?

The tradition of delivering Christmas cards began in 1843 with Sir Henry Cole of England. 

Because he had too many customers to hand write Christmas notes, Sir Henry Cole contracted artist John Calcott Horsley to produce a card onto which he had printed “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You”.Sir Henry had one thousand cards printed that year.  Of those, twelve exist today.Soon, people all over the world begansending Christmas cards. 

The most well-known Christmas cards in the late 19th and early 20th century were designed by the Victorian children’s storyteller and artist Kate Greenaway.  She often created cards with different fabrics and fringe.    Some were even elaborate pop-ups featuring skaters and tiny mangers.

In the United States, Christmas cards were imported and something of a luxury until, in 1875, a German immigrant, Louis Prang, began to produce them in Boston.BeforeUntil then, Christmas cards were brought into the country from abroad.Prang went out of business in the 1890’s when overseas publishing houses printed lower priced cards.Still, Prang is known as the patriarch of the American Christmas card. 

Advancements in production of card making happened during World War I with fierce competition amongst card publishers. 

The invention of color lithography during America’s Depression in the 1930’s completely put new life into the industry. 

In the 1950s, the studio card made its debut. Studio cards introduced humor as a staple in the greeting card industry.

With the introduction of e-mail in the 1990’s, electronic cards or ‘e-cards’ became widely popular.

In present day, there are a wide range of Christmas cards available. From traditional scenes and religious Christmas cards to jokes, there is a card out there to put anyone in the holiday spirit.   In fact, the industry has evolved so much that there is a card for virtually any event, or “non-event.”  Still, Christmas remains the highest ranking of the card-selling holidays.

Christmas cards are a staple of the holidays. People send them to family and friends, as well as business colleagues, to show them that they care. Some use Christmas cards as a way of updating family and friends about events that have happened in their lives during the year.  While the Christmas card is changing from one decade to the next, the sentiment is the same:  “Merry Christmas!”