Christmas Cards

Memories came flooding back when I saw this photo. Its of a traditional Christmas Card from the 1970s. You may remember the kind, packs of paper cards, all with just 2 or 3 designs, that were mass produced and we sent them out with scattergun tendencies!

To families, to our buddies at school, to work colleagues. Does anybody remember these?

The more organised of us, will keep Christmas Card lists we bring out every year on year with lists of addresses, others just sent a card if they get one and some…..don’d sent any.

I’m interested today on hearing if the custom of sending Christmas cards is passing or reducing quietly, in this modern era of technology, email and rising postal costs. Do you still send cards?

The family photo is from Christmas 1971, showing what all our family did with cards. strung over string on the walls, tacks in either end. With little pegs if you were feeling very festive! Pictured is my gran, Mary Duncan (nee Danskin) with her grandchildren of the time. I’m a baby in this photo, as is my cousin John Duncan. My other cousins in this photo are Rona and Kenneth MacFarlane, with David, Allan and Douglas Glen.

A little history about Christmas Cards…..The custom of sending Christmas cards was started in the UK in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. He was a civil servant (Government worker) who had helped set-up the new ‘Public Record Office’. Sir Henry had the idea of Christmas Cards with his friend John Horsley, who was an artist. They designed the first card and sold them for 1 shilling each. The card had three panels. The outer two panels showed people caring for the poor and in the centre panel was a family having a large Christmas dinner! Some people didn’t like the card because it showed a child being given a glass of wine! About 1000 (or it might have been less!) were printed and sold. They are now very rare and cost thousands of Pounds or Dollars to buy now!

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