I'm sure there's quite a few readers out there who share that familiar sinking feeling when a lovely, hand-written, square envelope lands on your hallway floor. "Oh no - people are still sending me Christmas cards, and I haven't done them since I was twelve and left them in people's lockers at break time! I simply have to do them, next year..."
Despite my own non-carding activities, I think it's lovely that people are still taking the time to make and buy and send Christmas cards. Much like the continued survival of magazines, it seems they are a little piece of paper tradition which people are happy to keep a hold of in the modern digital world.
So after my post on the history of Halloween, I was looking forward to doing some historical research on Christmas, and I thought - why not look into Christmas cards?
Little did I know I was soon to discover that Victorian Christmas cards are as
mad as a box of frogs (quite literally).
Here is just a small selection of some of the weirdest I came across:
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You wouldn't want this guy to turnip at your door.. |
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I think they're arguing - he looks a little henpecked |
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Seasons squeakings |
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I think the printers just wanted to re-use an old children's book illustration here |
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Fancy a kiss? |
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Wait... that's snowman - that's a woman! |
And I cannot find reason nor rhyme for it, but frogs seem to be a favourite feature:
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Daylight froggery! Call the tadpolice! |
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I told him to be careful with that drum - he'll ribbit |
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Okay, this one is definitely a recycled fairy tale picture |
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There's four frogs which need to be mistle-toad away... |
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"Just write 'A Joyful Christmas to you' along the bottom and start printing it. No one will care" |
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Hopping it won't be raining cats and frogs this Christmas |
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That's one crazy stag do! |
Those card givers had better prepare themselves for a surprise, as I think I may have come up with a plan for next year...
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