ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS CARD

Evening Star, Issue 20361, 18 December 1929, Page 19

ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS CARD

WHEN HOLLY WAS FIRST USED : it. In 384.5 a reverend gentleman, one Rev. Edward Bradley, who (1827-89), under, the pen name of “ Cuthbcrt Bede,’ is remembered, as the author of ‘The Adventures of Verdant Green/' thought he would save time, and haps demonstrate his originality, by/ sending to his friends a printed mes- ■ sage of his goodwill and wishes for the Christfaiastid© (writes Mr Edgar D. ■■ Ward, in the. ‘ Millgate Monthly’). He gave the order to a firm of prin- : tors and stationers in NewSastle-on-Tyne, the head of which was a Mr Lambert. In the following year, when’,.; a repeat, order came, this astute printer,,) thought there must be more in it thanf a fad of a somewhat eccentric old par-i son. With or without permission—his- f tory is silent on this rather important} point—he engaged the services of ana artist, and had prepared a series of) designs which he reproduced on fancy,! cards, and offered them for sale in tim»; for the Christmas of 1847 and the New; : Year of 1848. These interesting details we found ina back number of the ‘ Newcastle' Chronicle,’ and it, is said that they are vouched for by a Thomas Smith, who ate this period acted as foreman printer itri the Lambert establishment. j Since that day much work and many • postage stamps have been used in th»j production and distribution of Christ- 1 mas and New, Year greetings. In these, as in mauv other departments of;; life’s activities, fashions have come andgone. The ornate card, proud in Us tinsel and feathers, has passed, and the proper thing to-day tends to an almost ■ puritanical severity. ! In spite of its ups and downs, how--ever. the Christmas card remains in one form or another., The superior, critic has done Jus worst—and is forgotten. The 1 cult is'triumphant. CHRISTMAS HOLLY. ! Mr Arthur Sharp, in 1 the ‘Millgate Monthly,’ writes on ‘Christmas Holly/' and gives a suggestion as to its first Ynlctide use. He writes: For countless years the holly has been ascociatert with the blazing Yule log, and the Christmas feasting. Front time immemorial it has been the good old custom to brighten up the interiors of church and hall, cottage and castle, with boughs and sprigs of holly at Christmas. The favourite plants for, church and home decoration included bay, rosemary, ivy,' and laurel, with holly in the foremost place. A Nature writer tells us that the holly was dedicated to Saturn, and as the fetes of that deity were celebrated in the month of December, and the Romans were accustomed to decorate their houses with holly, t)ie early Christians did so, too, when they celebrated their festival of Christmas, in order that they might escape observation. ) Whether this be the true origin of, the preference for holly with which to decorate our houses at Yuletide we do not know, hut from the earliest turns of Christianity, holly has played a conspicuous part in the festivities of this season. 0 the holly tree branch, he is stout and strong, And he reeks not if winter be short or long, . ’ For boldly lie. enters where mirth prevails, 1 At the Christmas board, at th« Christmas tales; ; But the mistletoe creeps like a poor old fellow, ' With blood so cold and with cheek.* so yellow; , Yet let him but hide in the festive hall, . And you’ll find him the jovialis*-, guest of all. i, Now. at Christmas do we feel that , ■‘Of all the trees within the wood th» ! Dolly bears the crown. ...” ■ The holly, with its brilliant clusters ■ of berries,' is. a symbol of jollity aml-\ the Christmas spirit, and as such is highly appreciated by all wbolove the f festive season in true Dickensian man-} uer. I