Here’s How The Very First Christmas Card Was Invented
It seems like every year, more and more beloved Christmas traditions are slowly fading away. From the extinction of family Christmas caroling to the dying art of sending Christmas cards, it’s enough to make you wish for seasons past.
Believe it or not, a little nostalgia was what led to the invention of the first Christmas card. Maybe if we bring enough of that holiday nostalgia into the mix, we can revive this old custom.
Since the 1990s, annual sales and circulation of Christmas cards have been in decline. Many people, especially those in the United Kingdom, have been lamenting over the potential disappearance of the Christmas card.
The tradition was established in 19th-century Britain and was long viewed as an essential part of Christmas in Britain.
It was just as important as the traditions of children hanging stockings at the ends of their beds and meals of turkey and Brussels sprouts.
But there was a time when the British did not partake in such activities during Christmas. These customs only became part of the British Christmas during the second half of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. That means they are somewhat new traditions when taking the holiday’s 2,000-year-old history into account.
The practice of mailing printed Christmas cards started in the mid-19th century as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
It became more affordable due to new innovations in printing and more efficient transportation methods like the railway.
In 1840, Parliament’s introduction of the Penny Post also led to the development of the new tradition. It allowed people to mail letters to any address in the U.K. for the price of a penny stamp. The majority of historians agree that the arrival of the Christmas card was in 1843.
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That same year, the inventor Henry Cole had the artist John Callcott Horsley to design a card that would make managing his Christmas correspondence a bit more easy and efficient.
Printed versions of the card were made available for sale, but most of the Victorian population could not afford the high price.
Other printers were inspired to produce affordable Christmas cards. In the 1850s, the use of these cheaper cards began to spread. By the end of the century, it was established as a holiday tradition.
The card that Cole designed was actually influenced by older holiday traditions that were starting to die out. In 1843, many people were bemoaning the loss of “Old English” Christmas customs, such as acts of charity and visiting the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to toast the holiday and the new year.
Cole’s card featured a family of three framed with holly, providing food and clothing to people in need. As such, early Christmas cards portrayed similar imagery involving Christmas carolers, greenery, family togetherness, and feasts.
Overall, the rise and eventual success of the Christmas card in Victorian Britain show how nostalgia inspired creativity and innovation.
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