The Invention of the Commercially Available Christmas Card

The video discusses the history of the first commercially available Christmas card, created by Sir Henry Cole in 1843. Cole, a civil servant, saw the potential of the Penny Post system for sending festive greetings. He commissioned artist John Calcott Horsley to design the card, which depicted a family celebrating and scenes of charity. Despite some criticism from temperance societies, the cards were successful, leading to further production. Initially expensive, Christmas cards became more popular in the 1870s as production costs decreased.

What criticisms did the initial Christmas card artwork face?

When did the cost of mass-produced Christmas cards decrease significantly?