People have been sending Christmas greetings to each other for hundreds of years. The custom of sending Christmas cards, as we know them today, was started in the UK in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. He was a dedicated civil-servant and scholar. He had just worked to pass a reform that lowered the cost of postage to a single penny (the “penny post”) to encourage British citizens of all walks of life to use the postal system. However, he needed to find a way to get more people to using the mail to help finance the change.
At the same time as he helped launch the penny post, Victorian society was fully embracing a Christmas mania, which included a renaissance of traditions of banquets, parties, and charities. Many of the Christmas traditions we know and love today like caroling and feasting emerged from Victorian England at this time.
One important Christmas tradition included writing a long, personal letter and paying a visit to friends and acquaintances to wish them a cheerful holiday season. In a rapidly growing society, this left almost no time to get work done, and even the most determined extroverts were exhausted. Sir Cole thought he could solve both of his problems with the introduction of a beautifully decorated Christmas card to replace the long letter.
The first known item that looked a bit like a Christmas card, was given to King James I of England (who was also King James VI of Scotland) in 1611. This was more like a large ornamental manuscript rather than a card as we think of them today. It was 84cm x 60cm (33″ x 24″) and was folded into panels (it might have been folded so it could be carried around). It had a picture of a rose in the center and a Christmas and New Year message to the King and his son was written into and around the rose. Also on the manuscript were four poems and a song – so rather more than are on cards today!
The first postal service that ordinary people could use was started in 1840 when the first ‘Penny Post’ public postal deliveries began. Before that, only very rich people could afford to send anything in the post. The new Post Office was able to offer a Penny stamp because new railways were being built. These could carry much more post than the horse and carriage that had been used before. Also, trains could go a lot faster. Cards became even more popular in the UK when they could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one halfpenny – half the price of an ordinary letter.
As printing methods improved, Christmas cards became much more popular and were produced in large numbers from about 1860. In 1870 the cost of sending a post card, and also Christmas cards, dropped to half a penny. This meant even more people were able to send cards.
The first cards usually had pictures of the Nativity scene on them. In late Victorian times, robins (a British bird) and snow-scenes became popular. In those times the postmen were nicknamed ‘Robin Postmen’ because of the red uniforms they wore. Snow-scenes were popular because they reminded people of the very bad winter that happened in the UK in 1836.
Christmas Cards appeared in the United States of America in the late 1840s, but were very expensive and most people couldn’t afford them. It 1875, Louis Prang, a printer who was originally from Germany but who had also worked on early cards in the UK, started mass producing cards so more people could afford to buy them. Mr Prang’s first cards featured flowers, plants, and children. In 1915, John C. Hall and two of his brothers created Hallmark Cards, who are still one of the biggest card makers today!
In the 1910s and 1920s, home made cards became popular. They were often unusual shapes and had things such as foil and ribbon on them. These were usually too delicate to send through the post and were given by hand.
Nowadays, cards have all sorts of pictures on them: jokes, winter pictures, Santa Claus or romantic scenes of life in past times. Charities often sell their own Christmas Cards as a way raising money at Christmas.
Charities also make money from seals or stickers used to seal the card envelopes. This custom started in Denmark in the early 1900s by a postal worker who thought it would be a good way for charities to raise money, as well as making the cards more decorative.
It was a great success: over four million were sold in the first year! Soon Sweden and Norway adopted the custom and then it spread all over Europe and to America.
There is so much more history about Christmas cards. This post has only covered bits and pieces up to the beginning of the 20th century. Maybe next year I’ll have to do a continuation blog post. Until then, enjoy the tradition of writing and receiving Christmas cards.