Annual Christmas cards have become a popular and time-honored (or even family-mandated) custom; a way to say to faraway friends and family, "Happy holidays, we're thinking of you, and see how fantastic we're doing!" They're a method to perform an annual check-in and see how much the kids have grown and what significant moves so-and-so has made. And, while they may appear to be widespread now, this was not always the case.
Sir Henry Cole, a member of the British civil service, and his artist friend, John Horsley, invented the modern Christmas card in 1843 as a way to encourage more people to utilize the new British postal system. Their first card cost one shilling, or around 24 cents. Because of the rise and introduction of the printing press, the tradition of sending Christmas cards was more or less in full swing in Britain by the 1860s.
Christmas cards unavoidably made its way to the United States in the 1840s, close to the time when the first ones were created. However, the costs associated in their creation kept them from becoming popular until 1875, when German printer Louis Prang began mass-producing the cards, making them inexpensive. However, it wasn't until the Hall brothers founded Hallmark in the early twentieth century that the practice really took hold in the United States.
Christmas cards are becoming an important element of the holiday season. Whether you snap a family photo or manufacture one out of construction paper, glue, and glitter, your Christmas cards will make their receivers happy.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN CHRISTMAS CARD DAY
• Create and mail your own Christmas cards.
Who needs packaged cards in the first place? You might end up giving and getting the identical card! Rather than spending money on greeting cards, take the time to cut, glue, and write on paper to send your loved ones a card that truly expresses how much you care.
• Assemble a display of your favorite cards.
Many of us preserve particularly lovely or meaningful Christmas cards from previous years; why not put them to good use? Grab a card holder, a corkboard and pushpins, or even some fridge magnets, and display your past and current year's cards for all to see! You could even link them together to form a beautiful garland to commemorate the holiday season.
• Compose thank-you notes for your Christmas cards.
Everyone sends thank you letters for holiday presents, but what about Christmas cards? If you were delighted to hear from a childhood pal or great-aunt, write them a message saying, "Thank you for thinking of me."
