When Did People Start Sending Christmas Cards?

Christmas has been celebrated for many centuries, but the custom of sending greeting cards at Christmas didn't begin until 1843.

That year, an Englishman named Henry Cole wanted to send his friends a note wishing them happiness at Christmas. He hired an artist named John Horsley to design the world's first Christmas card.

This card showed a large family gathered around a table. On each side of the picture were smaller scenes showing people giving food and clothing to the poor. The message read: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you." Christmas cards haven't changed very much since then, have they?

Christmas cards didn't become popular in the United States until about 30 years later. Today, Americans send about four billion Christmas cards a year — that's 20 for every person!

A California man once sent more than 62,000 Christmas cards in a single year!