Christmas cards ~ it's a tradition I hate to see disappear completely, even though it's become much less popular in recent years due to ecards and email. Nothing replaces opening a beautiful card and seeing a handwritten message inside, though. I remember when I was a child and we'd receive dozens of Christmas cards and Mom would tape them up all around the doorways, as decorations.
It was almost another twenty years before Christmas cards caught on again, when printer Charles Goodall produced Christmas lithographs for the masses. Early Christmas cards didn't feature religious images, but flowers and holly, robins, children and animals ~ even fairies.
In 1875 Louis Prang became the first printer to offer cards in America, and by the 1920s, the exchange of Christmas cards was very popular in the United States and around the world. Religious scenes became more popular, such as angels and mangers, then later, came snowmen and Santa Claus.
So, do you still send Christmas cards? Do you receive them? I'd love to hear your special memories or traditions pertaining to Christmas cards.
The first Christmas cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole in London in 1843 and featured an illustration by John Callcott Horsley of a festive family with a small child drinking wine together. The cards were printed in black and white and then colored by hand. Unfortunately, it proved to be controversial and was condemned as "promoting drunkenness."
It was almost another twenty years before Christmas cards caught on again, when printer Charles Goodall produced Christmas lithographs for the masses. Early Christmas cards didn't feature religious images, but flowers and holly, robins, children and animals ~ even fairies.
So, do you still send Christmas cards? Do you receive them? I'd love to hear your special memories or traditions pertaining to Christmas cards.
Until next time,
Cindy
