The very first Christmas cards were designed by Englishman John Callcott Horsley in 1843 at the behest of his friend, Sir Henry Cole. The seasonal mailers depicted a family sitting together at a table, with two images of them doing good deeds on either side. Of the 1000 that were printed, only a dozen have survived to this day. We’ve come a long way since then, and while cards with bells, whistles, tinsel, audio, and lights certainly have their place, it’s also nice to look back at what came before.
In that spirit, here are 50 delightfully retro cards from the New York Public Library’s digital archives. Believe it or not, they have many, many more, which you should check out here. We promise it will make your season bright.
1. “WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS”
2. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
3. “A MERRY XMAS, WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS”
4. “JUST A LITTLE OUTWARD SIGN”
5. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS.”
6. “MERRY CHRISTMAS.”
7. “I DON’T FORGET YOUR CHRISTMAS…”
8. “WISHING YOU A MERRY XMAS”
9. “A MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR”
10. “A MERRY X’MAS”
11. “TO WISH YOU A RIGHT MERRY CHRISTMAS.”
12. “A HEARTY WISH FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR”
13. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR”
14. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
15. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS; THINE OWN WISH WISH I THEE”
16. “MAY JOY ABIDE WITH YOU THIS CHRISTMAS TIDE”
17. “MAY CHRISTMAS BE HAPPY”
18. “I AM THINKING OF YOU TODAY BECAUSE IT IS CHRISTMAS.”
19. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
20. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
21. “MAY ALL THE HOURS OF CHRISTMAS, AND OF THE NEW YEAR TOO …”
22. “WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
23. “MAY YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
24. “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
25. “MAY SANTA MAKE YOUR STOCKING HEAVY AND YOUR HEART LIGHT”
26. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
27. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
28. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
29. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
30. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
31. “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
32. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS [TO YOU ALL]”
33. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
34. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
35. “BEST WISHES FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
36. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
37. “MAY YE BE JUST AS HAPPY YOURSEL’ AS YE LIKE TO SEE ANY BODY ELSE”
38. “YOU’LL GET A LOT OF CARDS I KNOW …”
39. “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
40. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
41. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
42. “AT THE CANDLE LIGHT, AS I LIGHT MY PIPE. ALL IS BRIGHT, ON THIS CHRISTMAS NIGHT.”
43. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU”
44. “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
45. “MERRY CHRISTMAS”
46. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
47. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
48. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
49. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
50. “A MERRY CHRISTMAS”
December 19, 2016 – 6:00am