The history of Christmas cards

Victorian businessman Sir Henry Cole sent the very first Christmas cards in 1843, just over three years after the successful introduction of the Penny Post and over 2,000 cards were made they were printed on stiff card, like a modern postcard and each one was hand painted. They were designed John Callcott Horsley and printed by the firm of Jobbins of Warwick Court London. The cards sold for one shilling each

Initially the cards met some resistance but finally gained widespread acceptance as the practice gained popularity with many of the better off upper classes and as the middle classes followed the trend of sending and receiving seasonal cards. These early cards did not show winter views or scenes relating to Christmas but alluded to the coming spring and summer. Their illustrations were of bouquets or sprays of flowers or of fairies and other scenes to remind the recipient warmer weather just around the corner. The early Victorian cards were often formed in elaborate shapes also

From just over 2,000 cards sent in 1843 spawned not just an industry producing Christmas cards but one that has grown to unimagined proportions selling cards for all occasions and none.



Louise Prang printed the first American Christmas cards in 1875 whose product was soon overwhelmed by cheap imitations and he was driven out of the market.



Now we make our own