The third peers out from the card with big, baby blue eyes, her halo slightly askew. The introduction, 53 years ago, of the first Christmas stamp by the U. Post Office perhaps speaks even more powerfully to the popularity of the Christmas card. Hence, the first printing of the new Christmas stamps came in sheets of The second printing was in sheets of Although they are not rare, Piazza adds, the second printing-sheets of these stamps are collectibles today. Still, thanks to the round the clock efforts by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, a total of one billion copies of the Christmas stamp were printed and distributed by the end of the year.
Today, much of the innovation in Christmas cards is found in smaller, niche publishers whose work is found in gift shops and paper stores. The sentiments, too, are different than the stock greetings of the past. In the US, Hallmark soon began to dominate the market by the s.
With the introduction of better color printing and color lithography in the s, greeting cards experienced a renewal of even greater interest by the public. This renewal of interest led to more experimentation with how to use cards, such as the development of humorous cards that went beyond simply wishing someone well or giving affection to someone.
The development of humorous and different types of non-edifying cards developed as a reaction to Hallmark and other major manufacturers dominating the market, as smaller manufacturers looked for niche markets.
Many of the cards of the larger companies were seen as static or impersonal. Humorous cards became of greater interest as a way to seem more personal and different from what might be normally expected. More recently, new ideas in greeting cards have extended to areas such as recyclable cards or cards made of recycled materials as a way to increase interest by more environmentally-conscious customers. Even more recently in the Internet Age, e-cards, including animated cards, are an extension of this and represent the next level of development companies and entrepreneurs have developed in the greeting card industry.
While in the US, mass-produced cards have become the norm, other countries have either been influenced by this or have developed their own traditions. In the UK, there are perhaps among the highest number of publishers focused on greeting cards, where the tradition of sending greeting cards is not only well established but is also among the most profitable.
Over 1. While many traditional publishers have suffered, they have also adapted by making more creative ways to send personalized messages and cards as well as using digital media.
In Japan, greeting cards that have combined other popular culture themes, such as Hello Kitty, have become popular for people to send on different occasions. In Germany, birthdays such as the 18th birthday and 25th birthday have led to the development of specialized cards for these occasions.
In India and among Hindu cultures, Dewali, the Hindu festival of lights, is a popular holiday when cards are exchanged. These often show fireworks or light displays that reflect the victory of light over darkness. In Muslim traditions, Ramadan is a holiday where well-wishers send each other greeting cards. In particular, Eid, which celebrates the end of the Ramadan fast period, greeting cards are sent with celebrations that include food and sweets. By the 's the Post Office was having to handle an extra The oldest known greeting card in existence, is a Valentine card made in the 's and can be admired at the British Museum London.
The Valentine and Christmas Card were the most popular cards, followed by Christmas. Patrick's Day, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving Cards gained popularity in the late 's and early 's. This was a time consuming printing process, where the design was hand carved into a block of wood to then create a print on paper. In Italy, more delicate handmade cards were used, especially for Valentines, when intricate lace effect filigrees were applied to the cards.
The techniques at the time made the cards expensive and cards were used predominantly by the elite. During this time the cards were used mainly for New Years and Valentines. The first known Valentines message dates back to and was from Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife, whilst he was kept captive in the Tower of London.
The first Valentine. The rise in popularity of the greetings card came through a variety of factors. Advances in printing and mechanisation meant that cards could be created far cheaper and with less effort than the intricate handmade cards. The "Penny Black" was the World's first postage stamp. When this was originally produced in , removing the need for hand delivery, the greetings card was set to gain mass popularity. In fact, only 3 years later in , Sir Henry Cole decided to create the first commercial Christmas card.
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