Tis the season...
What's It Wednesdays
The practice of sending holiday greeting cards is over 150 years old.
To think it all started with holiday stress.
ACHC #1983.081.422
In Victorian England, it was the practice to write Christmas and New Years letters and mail them to friends. Not responding was considered rude. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole, an educator, patron of the arts and prominent Englishman, had many friends and too little time. He was overwhelmed with Christmas letters and concerned that he couldn’t respond to them all.
Sir Cole had an idea for a solution to his problem. He asked an artist friend, J.C. Horsley, to draw an illustration of what he had in mind. Then he had a London printer make 1000 postcards with the illustration and the words, “A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You.” At the top of the cards was a salutation so Cole could personalize the message. The first Christmas card was born!
There was some controversy. The image includes adults and children sharing a holiday meal. During the 1800’s, the temperance movement was strong in Britain. The young children appear to be enjoying wine along with the family. So, Sir Cole was admonished for encouraging underage drinking.
First Christmas Card Design Wikimedia Common
It took 32 years for Christmas cards to spread to the US.
Louis Prang, a Prussian immigrant with a print shop in Boston, is recognized as the first to print an American Christmas card, in 1875. It was a card with a painting of a flower and “Merry Christmas.” Prang began a period of artistic cards with beautiful reproductions. There weren’t many of the “usual” holiday images - Nativity scenes or winter decorations. In the 1880s, most Christmas cards had paintings of spring or summer flowers or nature. By the late 1890’s, publishers throughout the US were having competitions for the most artistic designs.
ACHC #1961.072.1
The 1900s brought a commercial and modern era of holiday greeting cards. In 1910, 18-year-old Joyce Clyde Hall started a picture postcard business in Kansas City MO. His brothers, Rollie and William joined him. In 1915, the Hall brothers decided to start printing cards, rather than just sell them, and printed their first Christmas card. Rather than the usual flat card, the Hall brothers printed cards that were folded in half like a book. An image was on the outside and the inside was blank for messages. For privacy, the card fit into an envelope. This became the standard design for greeting cards. In 1928, the Hall brothers renamed their company “Hallmark “and printed their “hallmark” on the back of their cards.
Homemade cards were also popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Some in our collection are cards glued onto fabric and have fringe decorations.
Andover’s Addison LeBoutillier, graphic designer, architect, and artist, designed a card every year that he sent to his family and friends.
ACHC #1982.039.5.9
It was predicted that the American public would tire of Christmas cards. The practice still seems to be flourishing. Even with the popularity of e-cards, over 2 billion Christmas cards were sold in the US last year.
Have you sent yours?
ACHC #1982.081.424
Have a happy and safe holiday season and best wishes for the New Year!