We all do it, don't we? We spend time choosing the perfect card, a cutesy snowman or Santa, a snow scene sparkling with glitter or an image of a humble stable for people, many of whom, we have no other contact with the rest of the year. Also, if you live in the free world, there's the added dilemma of the photo card, what photo should I pick this year....my cats, the kids, a summer scene from our Caribbean vacation to make them jealous? Then, if you have friends in the USA, comes the question...are we allowed to say Merry Christmas? Should we say Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings just in case we offend the mailman's political correctness? Yes, we do have the joy of sending that awful tasteless card at the bottom of the box to the friend that always sends you a personally embossed gold card, but thats not in the spirit of the season. Is it?
The Germans were the inventors of the earliest form of a Christmas card in the 14th century but the Victorians were the enthusiasts and the ones we should blame. In 1853 the first director of the V & A museum in London, Sir Henry Cole, created a standard seasonal greeting card for his friends and family and then the commercialism began! Those early cards cost one shilling ( a mans wages) so I guess he had to decide ...."a card for Auntie Ethel or dinner for Tiny Tim?" In 1840 the British postal service began & mailing became cheaper and so the tradition of card sending became affordable... and the glitter industry went into full production!
 |
| Sir Henry Cole's first card. |
This year I will cut down The List, I told myself....gone are the friends from before the kids were born, out the friends that I haven't heard from the rest of the year & goodbye cousins that I never liked as a child anyway! So began the "vetting process." Hmmm, well she hasn't emailed me back since my last Christmas email, who is this person, the neighbor from 1988, etc. As I sat there I found I was unable to delete many people from that list. OK, they aren't part of my life now but they were are all part of my past & that is still important to me, and yes, maybe, the sentimental Christmas songs got to me! The cards with the news attached are important. I want to know what Mabel's kids are doing and who has grandchildren, how life is treating them, where they are moving to, even down to who's dog/horse/hamster has passed away. This information gleaned from the small note scribbled on the back or, in some cases, the mass production of a family newspaper is nice to know, and yes, there maybe a little gloating sometimes! Oh my gosh....Fred's daughter married that guy?
Therefore my list remains intact, a written testament to my past; the friends and family that remain part of my life, albeit a yearly hello. I shall continue to write my news letters and cards, surrounded by piles of grinning Santa faces and snowmen, with glitter sprinkled liberally on my hands, hair and cats, Nat King Cole singing in the background. With my very large glass of mulled wine I'll raise it and toast Sir Henry Cole, "Thanks Henry, without you I would have less friends and family... but more money!"
Wishing you all a glittering Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays/ Vrolijk Kerstfeest/ Froehliche Weihnachten/ God Jul
http://www.history.uk.com/christmas/christmas-card-history/
