January

19

Send Holiday Greetings With Christmas Cards

Over 150 years ago, the tradition of sending holiday cards began. A man, short of time decided to have cards printed and mailed these hand colored Christmas cards out as a reminder to support charities that helped the poor. The card portrayed children participating in a holiday toast with wine and was not well received, however the custom has continued ever since. The idea quickly spread to the United States, with citizens ordering cards from England for the next thirty years until a Christmas card printing company opened in the United States. In Europe, the Christmas card took shape as a post card from 1900-1910, but that custom was very short lived. The tradition became firmly rooted during World War II. Those war cards had patriotic messages. They were often sent to family members far from home involved in the war effort, whether they were the troops around the world or the young women who had relocated to work in shipyards. After the war, the card’s popularity continued to expand and cards were even sent to neighbors as well as long distance friends and family. Through the years, the technology for making cards has improved. Gold foiled and embossed cards became popular in the 1960s. Cards tend to reflect the mood of the day as well as what is happening in the world. Some years point to a more traditional Christmas while others speak of nuclear arms. Personal computers have brought about some changes in the Card sending tradition. Some choose to send a Christmas letter in place of the card. All that is required is computer, printer and special Christmas printer paper. Everyone on your mailing list can catch up on the years events. Another innovation brought about by the computer is the s-card. Many styles and choices are available today. Some e-cards are musical and many are animated. Many people feel that e-cards are cold and sterile and that they lack a personal touch. You will find many traditional paper cards available today. The printing processes are better than ever. Some find a way to save on the cost of charity Christmas cards by buying the next seasons cards in the after Christmas sales. This allows you to send very high quality cards at a very low expense. Political correctness seems to have been a part of the holiday season in recent years. Even major chain stores have battled as to whether to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays. ” This has been reflected in Christmas cards as well. If sending cards to close friends or family, you should already know which greeting is more appropriate. When sending to business associates, then the “Happy Holiday” greeting may be a better fit. Be sure that the cards you send have a thicker cardstock for the best feel to a card. This is especially important for business associates. Start forming your Christmas card list early and be sure that your cards are in the mail shortly after Thanksgiving. This will allow the recipients to enjoy you greetings throughout the holiday season.


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