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1843: The World’s First Commercial Christmas Card

By Paperstone on December 19, 2012 in Paper

The first commercial Christmas card, 1843

This Christmas card, illustrated by John Calcott Horsley, had a print run of 1,000 in 1843 and was sold commercially for 6d, making it somewhat of a luxury item. The card, depicting a celebratory scene involving both children and alcohol, drew some disapprobation from the Temperance Movement. Nevertheless, makers of Christmas cards took advantage of the momentum of the recently introduced Penny Post and the cards quickly gained popularity over the coming years.

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