Original Christmas Cards

The time-honored tradition of sending Christmas cards began about 150 years ago in Great Britain. Sir Henry Cole, a renaissance man who wrote and published books on art collections and architecture, was too busy to write customary holiday greetings to friends and family, so he asked a well-known painter to design a card with a single message that could be sent to everyone on his list.

Christmas cards popped up in the United States in the mid-1800s. In 1875, Louis Prang, who wrote and published architectural books, printed images in color with a series of lithographic zinc plates. The process allowed up to 32 colors to be printed in a single picture, with the finished product resembling an oil painting.

These cards were in such high demand that Prang couldn't fill all his orders. Demand increased each year that followed, and at one point Prang was printing five million cards a year. His efforts earned him the nickname "Father of the American Christmas Card."

The first Christmas cards featured flowers and birds, then snow scenes, fir trees, and glowing fireplaces. Today, everything from clever verse and holiday scenes to geometric designs and sports figures grace the fronts of cards.

Design by StarStock, reina10025, marie7990, Copper Cockeral Cards & Gifts, Designs by Jamie Gallardo, Totally Painted, Elyse's Gallery, Elle J'ai Dizigns, Lil Ink Studio, Houk , PixDezines, DM_collection, giskard, tdoggteri, letile, twilight_cat, ingewillsen, perfectpostage, daphne1024, Sneaky_P_Illustratio, personalized note card, FlyBella, ShouShou, artNimages, xmasstore, kp13art, Kixodesigns, SquirrelHugger, Rewards4life

Design by Sharon Sharpe, BooRadBop, voliart, AJs Graphics, Studio Araminta.

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Christmas card designed by Memory Lane, sabine steinmüller greetings, Peace, Love and Art, Official Chiodo Bros. Store, S.T.Lewis, Windyone at Bedazzle, Creechers, chiodobros, lebanmax

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designed by Folk-Art-Blonde Gallery of Gifts, Floating lemons, Party Shop, Linda Armstrong, Barbara K Gallery, DonnaBellas Angels, pixiewildflower, hadriabeth, folkartblonde, doonidesigns, Aquavel, DudaDaze

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designs by Patty Prints, J.L.Hill's Cornucopia, Edith Collection, PengiWear, mjmcdee, Shutterbug Crafts, Greetings Cards, Xmas Store, Image Factory, Peggy Collins, achristmastrail and iluvsrk

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designs by perfectpostage, giskard, dbvisualarts, darkdreams, FlyBella, ShouShou, wierka, MzLisaMichelle, twilight_cat

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designs by sharonsharpe, hawksmont, gowenstudios, RainbowCards, forbes1954, William63, lynorton, SquirrelHugger, Willowdesign

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designs by Rockangel1, William63, Maria_K_Bell, seonaidh, Paddydee56, AJsGraphics

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!

Designs by hippiedoc, j2morrow, DudaDaze, BeachOfEden, artogram, lunagraphica, Jack_of_Arts, emilyimboden, slamdunksapparel

Cards featured on this page are original designs by artists on Zazzle.com. You can personalize most of these cards!! Add your own message! Just click on card!