Reproduction of the Christmas card designed by John Callcott Horsley for
Henry Cole
in 1843. This is recognised as the first Christmas card ever sent.
When was the first Christmas card sent and where?
The first recorded Christmas cards were sent by Michael Maier to James I of England and his son Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales in
1611
. It was discovered in 1979 by Adam McLean in the Scottish Record Office.
Who sent the first Christmas card What year was the first Christmas card sent?
Our
founding director, Henry Cole
, sent the first Christmas card in 1843. We now hold the national collection of cards for all occasions, with over 30,000 examples, more than half of which celebrate Christmas.
Who created the first Christmas card and why?
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.
Which country sends the most Christmas cards?
UK consumers lead the rest of the world in sending greetings cards, 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.
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.
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 was on the first Xmas card?
Early Christmas cards were influenced by already popular Valentines and featured
‘paper lace' (embossed and pierced paper)
and layers that opened to reveal flowers and religious symbols including angels watching over sleeping children.
Is sending Christmas cards a thing of the past?
You can keep a
Christmas card
for years, and look back fondly on festive seasons past. Although you can certainly keep a text message, it's no match for seeing your loved one's handwriting there on the page. Christmas cards also feel much more personal than a text or e-mail.
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, postage 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.
How many Christmas cards does the average person send?
How many Christmas cards does the average American household send out? An average household in America will mail out
28 Christmas cards
each year.
How many Christmas cards does the average person receive?
90 percent of all U.S. households participate in the greeting card category, purchasing at least one greeting card per year. Those households on average purchase 30 individual cards per year. The average person receives
more than 20 cards per year
, about one-third of which are birthday cards.
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 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.
