The History of Christmas Cards

One of the cards produced by Louis Prang, father of the American Christmas card.

Like the Postal Service, the history of Christmas cards spans generations.
The world’s first Christmas card was printed in 1843, when a British civil servant hired artist John Horsley to design a card to send to his friends. It showed a family at Christmas dinner and a child drinking wine, which proved to be controversial.
Boston lithographer Louis Prang is known as the father of the American Christmas card. He began publishing the first American cards in 1875. He sold millions until the 1890s, when Christmas-themed “penny postcards” from Germany flooded the market.
The outbreak of World War I suspended German imports, prompting the rise of the American greeting card industry.
Christmas cards with religious themes have been popular for decades, while secular cards have changed with the times.
The cards of the 1930s reflected social concerns, such as the Depression and Prohibition. Cards with patriotic themes were common during the World War II era.
Christmas cards with humorous messages became popular in the 1950s, while bright colors ruled the cards of the 1960s. Nostalgic imagery was common in the 1970s, followed by slimmer Santas during the fitness craze of the 1980s.
Contemporary cards have offered a return to sentimental themes.
Cards remain a fixture of holiday mail: More than one billion Christmas cards were sold last year, according to the Greeting Card Association.