Since the beginning of time, people have been wishing one another a Merry Christmas. A holiday letter from 1534 has the earliest known use of "Merry Christmas"

King James I of England (who was also King James VI of Scotland) received the first known gift in 1611 that vaguely resembled a Christmas card. This wasn't a card as we understand them today, more rather a huge ornamental manuscript. It was folded into panels of 84 cm by 60 cm (33 inches by 24 inches) (it might have been folded so it could be carried around). A message for the King and his son was written inside and around the image of a rose in the center, which also featured a Christmas and New Year greeting. Four poems and a song were also included in the document, which is more than is usually on cards today.
 

                                                                                                       Source: Wikipedia

The concept for Christmas cards was conceived by Sir Henry and his artist buddy John Horsley. The first card was created and sold for one shilling. (Today that would only be worth 5p or 8c, but back then it was much more valuable.) Three panels make up the card. The outside two panels depicted people helping the less fortunate, and the central panel had a huge Christmas dinner being enjoyed by a family. The card's depiction of a toddler receiving a glass of wine offended some people. There were about 1000 copies manufactured and sold (although it might have been less!).

Since they are currently so rare, purchasing one would cost thousands of pounds or dollars. The first cards had the tagline, "Just produced, a Christmas Congratulations Card; or picture characteristic of old English revelry to perpetuate nice memories between dear friends"!

Christmas cards grew significantly more popular as printing techniques advanced, and they started to be manufactured in considerable quantities around 1860. The price of sending postcards and holiday cards decreased to a penny in 1870. This increased the number of people who could send cards.

The Nativity scene was typically depicted on the first cards. Snow scenes with robins, a British bird, gained popularity in the late Victorian era. Because of the red costumes the postmen back then wore, they were known as "Robin Postmen." People loved snow scenes because they brought back memories of the brutal winter of 1836 in the UK.

In the United States of America, Christmas cards first emerged in the late 1840s, but they were exceedingly expensive and most people couldn't afford them. In order to increase the number of individuals who could afford to purchase cards, printer Louis Prang, who was originally from Germany but had also worked on early cards in the UK, began mass printing cards in 1875. The first cards made by Mr. Prang featured kids, flowers, and plants. One of the largest card manufacturers today, Hallmark Cards was founded in 1915 by John C. Hall and two of his siblings.

Annie Oakley, a renowned sharpshooter and the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, sent the first documented "personalized" Christmas card in 1891. She sent Christmas cards to her friends and family in the USA when she was in Glasgow, Scotland, and the cards had a picture of her on them. She is seen in the picture sporting tartan because she was in Scotland! The cards, it is said, were Annie's own creation, and a nearby printer produced them.

Homemade cards gained popularity in the 1910s and 1920s. They frequently had odd shapes and were decorated with ribbon and foil. Usually, these had to be handed by hand because they were too delicate to mail.

Cards these days often feature a variety of images, including jokes, holiday photos, Santa Claus, and nostalgic romantic themes. In order to raise money during the holiday season, charities frequently offer their own Christmas cards.
 

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Now in today's modern world everyone now creates their own Christmas cards using apps that are available in the play store and app store. A fun, free Christmas card, that is easy to use, an innovative app that will bring a smile to your nearest and dearest. This App supports all iPhones & iPad. The choice is yours! Why not give it a try? Click the link below to download the App and get cracking with those personalized Christmas Greeting Cards.
 

With the help of the app, you can select from a variety of pre-made Christmas greeting cards and customize them with your own text, different font sizes, different color(s), and—most importantly—a personalized Christmas message for your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. This way, you can surprise them and show them how much you value them by adding that extra special touch.

As one might anticipate, you may also distribute your individually created Christmas eCard on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Mashable, and Instagram. You can store it in your SD Card as an added feature of this app for later use. There are no additional costs after downloading this app's complete version, which is available for free.