A Victorian New Year's Wish...

The first commercial Christmas card printed in 1843

The Victorians loved their greeting and post cards, always beautiful, sometimes bizarre, and created for nearly every occasion! When the Penny Black stamp was introduced in England in 1840, the greeting card phenomenon was born and quickly became an inexpensive and thoughtful way to spread love and cheer during the holiday season. By 1895, little more than fifty years after the first greeting card was commercially printed in England, nearly a quarter of a million different types and designs of greeting and post cards were available on the market. Here are some notable Victorian holiday examples:

Compliments of Getty Images - the Hulton Archive

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of The Papermaker's Journal at Blogspot

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of Getty Images - the Hulton Archive

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of The National Library of Ireland

Compliments of Number One London at Blogspot

Compliments of Vintage Postcards Revisited at Blogspot

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of Getty Images - the Hulton Archive

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of Sexy Witch at Wordpress

Compliments of The Doodle Place at Wordpress

Compliments of The Ephemera Society - Artist Kate Greenaway (1880)

Compliments of Parisian Party

As the Irish say...

May the new year bring
The warmth of home and hearth to you.
The cheer and goodwill of friends to you,
The hope of a childlike heart to you.
The joy of a thousand angels to you,
The love of the Son and God's peace to you.

Many blessings, happy sewing, and Happy New Year!  ~Angela