Who Created The First Christmas Card And Why?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Louis Prang

, a Prussian immigrant with a print shop near Boston, is credited with creating the first Christmas card originating in the United States in 1875. It was very different from Cole and Horsley's of 30 years prior, in that it didn't even contain a Christmas or holiday image.

Who probably created the first Christmas card?


Louis Prang

, a Prussian immigrant with a print shop near Boston, is credited with creating the first Christmas card originating in the United States in 1875. It was very different from Cole and Horsley's of 30 years prior, in that it didn't even contain a Christmas or holiday image.

Why was the first Christmas card sent?

Our founding director, Henry Cole, sent the first Christmas card in 1843. … Christmas was a busy time in the Cole household and with unanswered mail piling up,

a timesaving solution

was needed. Henry turned to his friend, artist John Callcott Horsley to illustrate his idea.

Where was the first Christmas card printed?

The world's first printed Christmas card, an artwork created in 1843 that went on to spawn a global industry, has gone on show at

the Charles Dickens Museum in London

.

Which country sends the most Christmas cards?

UK consumers lead the rest of the world in sending greetings , new Ofcom research reveals. As the final posting date for Christmas arrives, Ofcom's survey finds that more consumers in the UK send greetings cards than in any other country surveyed.

Why were Victorian Christmas cards Creepy?

Some historians have suggested that the portrayal of dead animals on nineteenth century Christmas cards were meant to serve as

a reminder of the poor and hungry during the holiday season

. Stories of poor children freezing to death were common during the winter in Victorian England.

Are Christmas cards an American thing?

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 German but who had also worked on early cards in the UK, started mass producing cards so more people could afford to buy them.

What is the oldest Christmas card?

In the collection of Hallmark Cards, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri, is another English card, long thought to be the oldest. It's

over 120 years old

and was made at the suggestion of Sir Henry Cole. He asked an artist friend, John Callcott Horsley of the Royal Academy, to design the card.

Who invented the greeting card?

The first commercially-produced greeting card was a Christmas card invented in 1846 by

British businessman Henry Cole

who asked a printer to produce a printed Christmas greeting he could quickly send to friends. The idea caught on and mass-produced Christmas cards were popular by the 1860s.

How many Xmas cards were printed in 1880?

Until 1840, was too expensive for most, but thanks to the introduction of the penny post on January 10, cards became more accessible. After that the practice rapidly increased with

11.5 million cards

being produced in 1880 alone.

When did the tradition of sending Christmas cards begin?

The custom of sending Christmas cards was started in the UK in

1843

by Sir Henry Cole. He was a senior civil servant (Government worker) who had helped set-up the new ‘Public Record Office' (now called the Post Office), where he was an Assistant Keeper, and wondered how it could be used more by ordinary people.

What are the top 5 card sending holidays of the year?

  • Christmas. Christmas may be the only major December holiday to make the list, but it takes the top spot in a huge way. …
  • Valentine's Day. …
  • Mother's Day. …
  • Father's Day. …
  • Easter.

Which country sends the most birthday cards?


Brits

‘ Card Sending Is Most Ingrained In The World, Confirms Card Factory Research. Over three quarters of the UK adult population (76%) have purchased a greeting card in the last 12 months, head and shoulders above engagement in any other country in the world.

Why do we give Christmas cards?

A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of Christmas in

order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to Christmastide and the holiday season

.

Do other countries send Christmas cards?

Christmas Card Traditions Worldwide. So besides the UK,who sold 100 MILLION Christmas cards in 2016, many other countries keep up this age-old tradition and

send physical greetings

and glad tidings.

Why do Victorian Christmas cards have dead birds?

Dead birds in many of these cards are thought to either represent

the plight of the poor

—who were likely to die in the cold winter streets—or to be a more general symbol for the winter season. As for kittens, frogs, and other weirdness? Victorians liked them because they were entertaining.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.