Modern Christmas cards and the birth of a tradition
The article traces the origin of modern Christmas cards from early hand written pieces in Queen Anne era to 19th century developments. It highlights W C Dobson in 1845, Horsley in 1846, 1840s card scenes, and the American adoption by Marcus Ward and Prang in 1874 with lithography advances and school connections. It notes Prang’s role in popularizing cards in the United States.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
W. ¢. Dobson
Queen Victoria
John Calcott Horsley
Royal Academician
Sir Henry Cole
Louis Prang
Prang
Germany
Switzerland Kept Xmas for Refugee Children
Switzerland celebrated a wartime Christmas by sheltering about 20,000 refugee children from France Belgium Holland Italy Hungary Poland Czechoslovakia and Greece. Guided by peasants Red Cross workers Wehrmacht guards and older youths they arrived and found shelter as repatriation was delayed due to scattered parents ongoing battles and uncertain futures.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Switzerland
Europe
France
Belgium
Holland
Italy
Hungary
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Greece
Red Cross
Christmas in England and Carroll Christmas Gift Tale
A brief history notes that Christmas was banned as a fast day in 1644 under Cromwell, outlines the later rise of turkey in the 1700s, mentions European beliefs about talking animals at Christmas, and recalls that Lewis Carroll wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as a Christmas gift for a friend’s daughter.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
England
Oliver Cromwell
Lewis Carroll
How Our Allies Observed Yule Around Globe
A World War II era meditation on Christmas as observed by American service members overseas. It notes midsummer heat in the Pacific and Far East, Filipino misa de gallo traditions, Chinese firecrackers and carols, Indian city customs, Australian and New Zealand summer feasts, Middle East pilgrimages near Bethlehem, Orthodox services in Jerusalem, and European cathedral observances. It also mentions Belgium’s St. Nicholas Day and regional Santa lore with hay for the horse.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pacific
Far East
Pacific Islands
G.i.s
Philippines
China
America
India
Australia
New Zealand
Middle East
Bethlehem
Mediterranean
Jerusalem
Europe
St. Peter’s
Rome
Notre Dame
Paris
Belgium
Also Mentioned on This Page
Hildren
Winter Clothing Store
H. B. Winter, Prop
Ham and
Olson
B. Olson
R. T. Hum
Union
Santa Claus
Aert
Jeff al
Costigan Motor Co
H. J. Schutter & Son
Furniture and Funeral Service
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!