Started our Christmas cards this weekend!!! It is that time of year, while giving thanks for the fridge full of delicious Thanksgiving leftovers…we shift into Christmas mode. The history of greeting cards dates back to the ancient Chinese who exchanged messages of goodwill to celebrate a New Year, and to early Egyptians who used papyrus scrolls to send greetings. According to The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, the first Christmas card, as the term is now understood, is believed to have been designed in England in 1843 by John Callcott Horsley. An edition of 1,000 hand-coloured copies was placed on sale in London. A triptych, the card depicted a family party in the centre, beneath which were the words “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” Ours may be just a little different than Mr. Horsley’s, but we hope the sentiment conveys…  

Metallic Gold Ink on Wild White 166# Cover.

Here is the plate.