Christmas Greeting Cards: Taking a Look at its Past
Sunday, December 20th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
One important part of Christmas, apart from the food and the decoration, are Christmas greeting cards. Sending out greeting cards is something that almost everyone has done at some point in their lives. It’s not just in the United States, but almost every country in the world sends out greeting cards. It has become a tradition. However, in spite of its widespread practice, not that many people know about the origin of Christmas greeting cards and how it came to be as important as it is now. Let’s take a quick step back through time and see just how this whole practice began.
Of course, sending out greeting cards originated in England, through the hands of an Englishman. London was the primary setting for this tradition. English folks were in the practice of sending out greeting cards during the holiday season to their family and friends. All of these cards were handwritten or had a personal greeting from the sender. However, there was a busy Englishman named Sir Henry Cole, he didn’t have time to create these cards anymore. Thus, he commissioned an artist, John Callcott Horsley, to create unique cards for him so that all he would have to do is to sign the card. This whole practice was actually practical, up until Horsley caused some controversy because of his depiction of merriment wherein children were seen drinking wine. It placed a sudden end to this practice, but it was later revived in the 20th century by Kate Greenaway.
Pretty soon, Christmas greeting cards became a staple in the United States because of Louis Prang who was an American Lithograph printer. He created and sold these greeting cards designed and decorated with pictures that showed snowmen, flowers, birds, toys and children. As the years progressed, Christmas greeting cards became inculcated in our culture and more variations and themes are available today.
Christmas greeting cards are one of the most important things that people send out during the holidays. It not only allows people to send out holiday cheers, but it also makes the receiver feel important, knowing that they are remembered. There are two kinds of greeting cards available today. One is the paper greeting card and the other one is the electronic greeting card.
Paper Christmas cards are still used abundantly, but electronic cards are right behind its trail since it is such a convenient method. If you have computer access, an internet and an email address. Unlike paper cards where you have to wait for weeks for it to be received, you can actually get the e-card in a matter of seconds. This spreads the yuletide spirit much faster.
On the other hand, if you prefer to add a personal touch to your greeting cards, then you are better off sending out paper greeting cards. There might be apparent disadvantages with using paper cards like cost, time and effort, but it also has plenty of good points. One benefit is that unlike having electronic cards, you can keep paper cards forever. Your receiver can pull it out from storage and remember you even if you might be far away. Personalizing it by writing a message can make it more personal as well. It delivers the message that you want your recipient to receive. This lets them know just how important they are in your lives. The bottom line, however, no matter what kind of Christmas greeting cards you opt for, is that you are imparting and sharing your Christmas spirit to people you love.
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
