The season of giving is upon us, but why do we give Christmas cards?
We all love sending and receiving Christmas cards over the season. From classic designs to cringey family photos, we instinctively send out winter greetings to our love ones.
Here are 5 things you might not know about Christmas cards:
The Christmas card is over 150 years old
The first commercial Christmas card was made in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and illustrated by his friend John Horsely. Cole helped set up what we know today as the Post Office and the V&A museum. The cards featured a family enjoying dinner and drinks, though this stirred controversy amongst Christmas purists as it depicted merriment of the season. To offset this two panels were added depicting charitable endeavours of feeding and clothing the poor. In 2001, it became the world’s most expensive Christmas card when it was sold at auction for £22,500.
No, it wasn’t an American thing first
The Christmas Card didn’t catch on in America until 1875 when Boston based German lithography Louis Prang launched an affordable range of cards. His first card featured a simple flower design with the worlds Merry Christmas.
Why all the Robins?
Postmen during the Victorian period were called Robins as their uniforms were red. That’s why many Christmas cards from that time depicted a robin, either bird or man, delivering Christmas post.
How many cards does Santa Claus receive?
Each year Santa receives 600,000 Christmas cards to his Lapland address, it would take over 3 months for one person to open all of them.
Long live the Christmas card
Despite a predicted onslaught by free to send e-cards, the Christmas card industry hasn’t suffered by the hands of technology. Over half a billion cards are sent in the UK alone every year and account for over 12% of the sales of greeting cards as a whole. It seems like we just can’t give up the simple Christmas card.
Festive Christmas Card printing from Solopress
With a huge selection of card types, sizes, envelope colours and free to use design templates, you’ll find the perfect Christmas card to share the season’s cheer. Order by 12:00 and you’ll receive your Christmas cards the next working day!
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