THE NEW YEAR CARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19524, 31 December 1926, Page 14

THE NEW YEAR CARD.

ORIGIN IN SCOTLAND. •BY S.J.A. During recent years the popularity. of. the Christmas and Now Tear card that at one tim'o appeared to be established in public favour has somewhat declined, although the calendar and personal message of greeting still have a considerable vogue. It is not many years , ago, however, since the letter carriers at this time of the year staggered under loads of more or less artistic cards of varied and sometimes wonderful design, bearing messages of goodwill in prose or in verse that were often as wonderful as the design they accompanied. At the same time some of the cards, especially those which were produced in more recent years, were beautiful,' and were the work of skilled artists. It is interesting to learn that the cus-. torn of sending the season's greetings by this means originated in Scotland. Although the claim to the honour of the invention has been made by England, it cannot be sustained. The first English cards were produced in 1844, but they were only an adoption of an idea that originated with a Mr. Thomas Sturrock, a resident of Leith, in 1841, who designed the first New Year card ever issued.. In that year Mr. Sturrock submitted a sketch of the card to Mr. Charles Drummond, a bookseller and printer, who published Leith's first newspaper. Mr. Drummond quickly saw the possibilities of the idea and his engraver, Mr. 'Aikman, made a copper plate from Mr. Sturrock's design. The card was an immediate success, and sold readily. The design consisted of a stout, jelly, laughing face, with the words "A guid New Year, an' mony o' them," and from this developed the Christmas card that lived so long and held such a high place in public favour. The sender of the first card in England was Mr. W: A. Dobson, R.A., in 1844. He had a friend from whom ho had received certain courtesies for which he desired to show special appreciation. The time happened to be Christmas, so after much thought he made a sketch symbolising the spirit of the season, and sent it to his friend. This sketch was done on a piece of, Bristol board about twice the size of a. postcard. It depicted a family group toasting absent friends among appropriate surroundings of holly, etc., and was supported by panels illustrating deeds of benevolence.

Two years later the same artist etched another design, for which he had a block made, and posted copies to all his friends. After this the idea spread and the Christmas and New Year card were put on the market.