In today’s blog, Alison reflects on Christmas cards, but ahead of that here are some interesting Christmas card interesting facts:

The first commercially produced Christmas card was produced by J.C Horsley in 1843 (see image below). One of these was auctioned in 2001 and sold for £22,260 (presumably it didn’t then get lost in the post).

Like so many Christmas traditions, the Christmas card took off in the Victorian era, aided by increasingly cheap printing methods and the introduction of the penny post (previously postage had been expensive and the recipient usually bore the cost).

The smallest ever Christmas card was created in 2017 but no image exists of it for the reasons outlined below (from the Guiness World Records website):

In December 2017, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, UK, used a beam of ions (positively charged atomic particles) to etch a Christmas card only 15 x 20 micrometres (0.0006 x 0.0009 inches) in size. Using a substrate of platinum-coated silicon nitride, the card is a true folded 3D shape, with the Christmas greetings message etched on the inner side of the card. The greetings card is so small that when an electron microscope was used to “photograph” the card, it pinged off the stand and was lost somewhere within the microscope itself.

The above Christmas cards are remarkable but today Alison shares some thoughts on what is remarkable in every Christmas card.

Christmas card connections (by Alison Thursfield)

December again, and the Annual Review of Christmas cards. I have a record of cards both sent and received each year since 1994 and it makes interesting reading. Nowadays the numbers sent and received are different as one loses touch with some people while new names are added, but this is a chance to think of friends and family who are no longer with us. 

Thinking back, I recall memories of people and events, from the big occasions to the very small; of plans made and problems shared; of laughter and camaraderie.  All come from the friendship and experiences shared over the years.

I am glad to be able to look back and enjoy my memories and I feel very blessed, not just at Christmas while writing cards, but all through the year. My list may change over time but for that I am grateful, as making new friends who I hope will become “old” friends is one of the pleasures of life. 

Now back to writing Cards!