Design Crafters

When you realize that people have been sending out Christmas cards for well over a century now, it shouldn’t be hard to believe or understand that some ideas for card styles or designs are simply not that new. In fact, some types of Christmas cards have been around for a very very long time.

An article published in the New York Times in 1902 tells us that a great many Christmas card designs for that year’s holiday season were not so much of a traditional design with winter scene and holiday sentiments inside, but rather a card with a “useful” calendar incorporated into it. The Times noted that these are a good way for the sender to be remembered throughout the year.

Another popular type of Christmas cards found in 1902 were the “novelty” kind, particularly the small kind that can be tied to a gift, which ranged in cost from two to five cents apiece. Holly and mistletoe were probably the most popular designs of these novelty cards, but even Santa Claus found a place on some small Christmas greeting cards.

According to the Times, original holiday-themed paintings were often commissioned for use as Christmas cards at that time. In fact, we learn, British royalty in particular had a tendency to commission original works of art specifically for their Christmas cards. Meanwhile, a great many non-royals in Britain were selecting special holiday postcards (featuring the Union Jack and holly). We learn that, even in 1902, the cute Christmas verse was a staple of holiday greetings. My favorite is the short but sweet “I cannot share your Christmas feast, But I can send my card, at least.” Learn more about Christmas card trends from days gone by by perusing the archives of newspapers like the New York Times.

There is so much history about mistletoe, that I will never be able to cover it all here but I will try to skim the surface then give you a reference in the end if you are interested in reading more.

Hanging mistletoe over a doorway during the Christmas holidays is a tradition most of us Americans are familiar with. But have you ever thought that much about where the tradition came from why we kiss just because we are standing underneath a plant or piece of shrubbery?

The most common belief, at least in America is that mistletoe is said to be a sexual symbol because of the consistency and color of the berry juice. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe could have come from either the Viking association of the plant with Frigga (the goddess of love) or from the ancient belief that mistletoe was related to fertility.

The correct mistletoe etiquette is for the man re remove one berry when he kisses a woman. When all the berries are gone, there is to be no more kissing under that particular plant. It is believed that an unmarried woman not kissed under the mistletoe will remain single for another year.

For more information on mistletoe included its use in alternative medicine, among many ancient beliefs and myths about healing, performing miracles, fertility, raising humans from the dead, etc. check out the complete here.

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