Why Do We Send Festive Season Greeting Cards?
While painting Christmas/festive season greeting cards, the questions came up, where did this practice come from? And what would the reasons be for sending a festive season greeting card? 
The history of the first commercial Christmas card is almost 200 years old. It dates to 1843 when the first card was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole, and designed by John Callcott Horsley in London; two batches of cards were printed, selling for one shilling each. Evidence dating back to the late 1970’s indicates however that the first card was sent in the 1600’s to James I of England. A company with the name of Prang and Mayer started printing cards for the popular market in 1873, and started selling Christmas greeting cards in 1874 in America.
The production of Christmas cards became increasingly popular, and Hallmark Cards was established in 1913 by Joyce Hall, and her brother Rollie Hall. The growth of the company was aided by the outbreak of World War I when families started sending cards to loved ones fighting the war.
Sending an “official” Christmas card was started by Queen Victoria, followed by other heads of state in different countries. Historians do not fully agree on exactly when the custom began in the US. It is said that President Calvin Coolidge issued the first official Christmas message 1920s, but most believed that it was President Hoover that really instituted this practice. The first official White House card was issued in 1953 by U.S. President Eisenhower. The number of recipients in 2005 was 1.4 million people. One can just assume that this number has increased since then.
A few fun facts:
It is estimated that two billion cards are sent in the U.S. every year, and more than one billion in the UK.
Hallmark currently designs more than 2,000 Christmas card designs.
It takes one tree to make 3,000 Christmas cards.
There are more than 3,000 greeting card publishers in America.
“Merry Christmas” remains the most popular greeting, followed by “Happy Holidays”.
But back to 2023. Why do we send Christmas, or festive season cards? There are many reasons:
Spreading holiday cheer: we know that the festive season is not always an easy time for many, but sending a card may bring a little bit of sunshine to someone’s day.
Sharing Christmas blessings with friends and family.
Updating friends and family on your family.
Saying thank you to someone; to be reminded about all the special people that we have in our lives.
Maintaining connections with people in our lives, a colleague, or a health care provider, a club member…
For me personally, being far away from most family and friends, it’s a moment of connection.
And it is TRADITION! And a wonderful one that we should strive to maintain, a moment of connectedness and joy. Sending a festive season card is a special way of reaching out to people around us, and to remind them that you love and care for them.
Finally, do you send cards at the holidays? Do you have memories of your family's tradition of sending holiday cards?
