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The History
The tradition of sending Christmas cards begun in 1843
– about the same time as the first Christmas seal
was published. The first Christmas card was produced in
England, and the idea was well-received, because the following
year, more than 25,000 Christmas cards were sold. However,
the first Christmas card provoked controversy in certain
circles in England, because the Christmas card pictured
a company of people touching glasses and saying “Merry
Christmas”. Putting alcohol and holy Christmas in
one picture did not please the English citizens then.
For more than thirty years, Americans had to import greeting
cards from England. In 1875, German immigrant to the U.S.
Louis Prang, opened a lithographic shop with $250, and published
the first line of U.S. Christmas cards. His initial creations
featured birds and flowers, unrelated to the Xmas scene.
By 1881, Prang was producing more than 5 million Christmas
cards per year.
Today, Christmas cards come in all shapes and sizes --
from small and simple to big and colorful. The big American
producer of Christmas cards, Hallmark, employs a whole army
of Christmas card designers who produce new Christmas cards
every season. The most popular cards are the old fashioned
and nostalgic ones with sledges and pixies, and a big, chubby
Santa Clause in a red and white coat.
Since the Internet became widespread in the middle of the
90’s, sending electronic Christmas cards became the
trend.
Many homepages offer easy-to-use digital cards which simple
require the user to write an email address, a traditional
Christmas greeting wishing for many nice Christmas presents,
and finish by clicking “send”. The card arrives
in the receiver’s inbox, and the old Christmas greeting
tradition is carried on albeit in a modern way.
It is quite easy to make a personalized Christmas card.
Here are a few ideas:
1. Glue small fern leaves on a piece of
paperboard. Putting them together simulates the look of
a Christmas tree, especially if you add a small star sticker
or cut-out on the top. The trees can be decorated with small
gift packages, i.e. squares made of colored tape which you
wrap with cross ribbons in contrasting colors.
2. Even if you are not good in drawing,
you can still create beautiful Christmas cards. Cut out
Christmas motifs from magazines, preferably colorful ones,
and glue them together on a piece of paper (e.g. in several
layers). It sounds simple, but you can really make very
beautiful and creative cards in no time.
Large picture: Christmas
cards
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Did you know that…
In 2004, the German post office gave away 20 million
scented stickers for free to make Christmas cards
smell like a fir Christmas tree, cinnamon, gingerbread,
or a honey-wax candle.
A surge in Christmas cards came in the 1940s, courtesy
of World War II. Friends and family, far away fighting,
received cards with patriotic messages and symbols,
like Uncle Sam.
Many organizations produce special Christmas cards
as a fundraising tool. The most famous of these enterprises
is probably the UNICEF Christmas card program, launched
in 1949.
An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas
cards each year and see 28 cards arrive in their place.
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External links:
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CARDS & CHRISTMAS GREETINGS: A selection of custom
printed and handcrafted Christmas Gift Cards and Greeting
cards.
