While Christmas seems to have been around forever, the annual tradition of exchanging holiday cards is relatively new by comparison. While you are sifting through pictures and writing a family letter, it might be interesting to learn just who thought up the tradition of sending out hundreds of holiday cards. It goes without saying that it is a lot more fun to save holiday cards than it is to receive holiday cards, but here is the background on why you are mailing and licking a thousand envelopes this year.

There are several different theories that surround how holiday cards first started, but all can be traced back to the UK and the emergence of the penny post. One theory is that Sir Henry Cole created the concept of the holiday card to encourage British citizens to adopt the newly formed postal system. Sir Henry Cole is also responsible for the reform that created the penny post, which made the mail service accessible to people of all classes. Before this reform, it was mostly considered an upper-class privilege due to the high price of postage.

Other stories include Sir Henry Cole, but credit the very first Christmas card to Queen Victoria. Following this origin story, after the Queen created her card, Sir Henry Cole was responsible for commissioning it and then sending it out to subjects throughout England in 1843. The first print of the holiday card was said to be 1000, which at that time was quite lofty for any person, even a ruling monarch. However, while Sir Henry Cole helped the Queen create and commission the Christmas card, it was said to have been designed by John Callcott Horsley. Therefore, the very first person to actually create a Christmas card would technically be John Callcott Horsley.

Since the 1840s, holiday cards have come a long way, and tradition has evolved quite a bit. Some people purchase artistic Christmas cards from the store, while others opt for cards that feature family photos and highlight big events of the year. The aim of holiday cards today is to convey the good tides of Christmas to family and friends. Most people look forward to receiving holiday cards in the mail, and many have special places where they hang all of their cards. Some people hang onto holiday cards year round as a way to stay in touch and connected to their loved ones.