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Christmas Customs Article
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Christmas Card
In 1840 in London, England, a British narrative painter named John Callcott Horsley designed the very first commercial Christmas card. Sir Henry Cole, first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum and a friend of Horsley, requested he do this. The one thousand Christmas and New Year’s cards he designed never went on sale until 1843. Controversy surrounded the card because it depicted a family toasting Christmas. Although puritans denounced it immediately, many others loved the idea. Other artists followed Horsley’s example, as the Christmas card became exceedingly popular. In 1849, English artist William Egley designed an extremely popular Christmas card. New years greeting cards, on the other hand, had been around since 1796 when merchants sent them to their customers. These cards usually said best wishes for the New Year. The fashionable Christmas cards gradually replaced the New Year’s cards.
The first Christmas card and New Years cards produced in the United States were by Louis Prang, a German lithographer. He immigrated around 1850 to New York but ended up with a workshop in Boston, Massachusetts. Producing his first colored Christmas and New Year cards in 1860, they showed scenes of winter. In 1873, the award winning lithographer Prang reproduced a Christmas card autographed by Charles Dickens. His greatest development was a multi-color process using up to twenty colors on one card. The detailing and hues were so vivid and perfect that it was almost impossible to distinguish them from the originals.
Many people today send Christmas cards to relatives, friends and acquaintances. Some people have cards custom-made with a picture of their family on the Christmas card, which is especially nice for anyone that cannot get together over the Christmas season. What a wonderful way to see any changes to the family since the previous year. Adding a short letter or personalized message makes the recipient feel loved and missed. You can buy an individual Christmas card for almost any one, from your sweetheart to the family doctor. They usually exchange these cards back and forth over the years. Christmas cards are available that are humorous, romantic, beautiful, religious and even old fashioned. Some buy a special Christmas card to enclose money for the paperboy/girl, mail carrier or others that they want to give a special thank you. Often small or local businesses will send out a Christmas card to each of their valued customers with the name of the business printed inside. This is a great way to let them know you appreciate their patronage, reinforce social networks, develop goodwill without trying to sell them anything.
Christmas is a joyous, wonderful time of year and Christmas cards express warm wishes and Christmas greetings. They play an important role in our Christmas celebrations so send each of your loved ones a special Christmas card this year.
Christmas Customs Specific links
Christmas Customs News
Register for program on Christmas customs at Kenilworth Library - Suburban News
Register for program on Christmas customs at Kenilworth Library Suburban News, NJ - by Suburban News KENILWORTH--The Kenilworth Public Library will present "Colonial and Victorian Christmas Customs," a program by New Jersey food historian ... |
See a Christmas parade and love beautiful trees - The Courier News
See a Christmas parade and love beautiful trees The Courier News, IL - Each is decorated by members of local ethnic communities in celebration of holiday customs from around the world. New this year is a tree representing ... |
Plan your Christmas season - Myrtle Beach Sun News
Plan your Christmas season Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC - Christmas in the Quarters | 10 am to noon Nov. 22. Hobcaw Barony. A special program highlighting the customs of Lowcountry celebrations and the unique ways ... |