SEARCH SITE MENU Submit An Article Bulk Article Submission Search Syndicate Articles Privacy Policy Terms of Use Link To Us Contact Us Site Map Home CATEGORIES Auto & Trucks Business & Finance Computers & Internet Education Environment and Going Green Family Food & Drink Gadgets and Gizmos Health Hobbies Home Improvement Humor Kids & Teens Legal Marketing Men Music and Movies Online Business Parenting Pets and Animals Politics and Government Recreation & Sports Relationships Religion and Faith Self Improvement Site Promotion Travel & Leisure Web Development Women Writing Keyword Search Article Title Author's Name

The History of the Christmas Card  by: Catherine Spelling The Christmas card, as we know it, originated in England in the year 1843. An artist named John Calcott Horsley was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole, a wealthy and successful London businessman, to create a card that could be sent out to his friends and clients to wish them a merry Christmas. Sir Henry Cole was very well known at the time, for a number of reasons. He had a helping hand in helping to modernize the British postal system. He played a prominent role in the creation of the Royal Albert Hall, and acted as the construction manager on this massive project. He also arranged for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and he oversaw the inauguration of the Victoria and Albert Museum. One of Sir Henry Cole’s greatest aspirations in life was to beautify the world around him. He owned and operated a wonderful art shop on Bond Street, which specialized in decorative objects for the home. His shop was hugely popular with the British upper class, and he earned a tidy sum from his business. The Christmas card he commissioned was fashioned in the form of a triptych, which is a three-paneled design that allows for the two outer panels to be folded in towards the middle one. Each of the two side panels depicted a good deed. The first showed an image of people clothing the poor, and the other side panel showed an image of people feeding the hungry. The center piece had an image of a well-to-do family making a toast and surrounded by an enormous feast. The inscription on the inside of the card read "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you." Of the one thousand cards printed for Sir Henry Cole, only twelve exist today in private collections. The printed card became highly fashionable in England during the years that followed. They also became very popular in Germany. It took quite a long time for the idea to catch on in America, then popularized by a German expatriate named Louis Prang in 1875. Today, more than 2 billion Christmas cards are exchanged each year. Merry Christmas, all! About The Author Catherine Spelling absolutely loves spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting down the days until Christmas, she writes for christmaslightsanddecorations.com – an online resource for all things relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about decorations for Christmas (http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com/), pre lit Christmas trees (http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com/pre-lit-christmas-trees.aspx), Christmas wreaths (http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com/christmas-wreaths.aspx) and more. This article was posted on November 06, 2005   View More Videos from the "Family" category: Oral Ulcers and Family History Friends And Family Support During Cervical Cancer Fight Using Support Groups and Family to Cope with Pulmonary Fibrosis How to Expect Families to Accept a Relationship   Read More Articles from the "Family" Category: Saving Money with Grocery Coupons by S. L. Simmons Gone With the Wind Almost Did Not Make It by Bill Cherry What Your Vet May Not Tell You About Rimadyl by William Smith Is Dog Obedience School for You? by Tina Spriggs Visco Memory Foam Mattress Guide by Charles "Chuck" Harmon Choosing the Right Nursing Home by John dela Cruz A Year’s Worth of Character Training to Last a Lifetime by Kate Hufstetler The Best Holiday Gift for Babies by Dian Dewi Essential Change Of Address Tips When Moving by Maureen Romensya Comparing Dental Plans For The Best Fit by Mark Woodcock << Back to "Family" Index

Disclaimer: The information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors
and do not necessarily represent the views of ArticleCity.com and/or its partners.