National Christmas Card Day (December 9): History & What to Write

Before text messages and video calls, the most popular way to say “I’m thinking of you this Christmas” was a card in the post — and for millions of people it still is. National Christmas Card Day, observed on December 9, is a cheerful reminder to pick up a pen, write a few warm words and send your cards in time for the holidays.

Christmas Card Day facts
Date	December 9 every year
Where	Mainly the United States; enjoyed by card lovers everywhere
Celebrates	The tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards
First commercial Christmas card	1843, London
Commissioned by	Sir Henry Cole
Designed by	John Callcott Horsley
Hashtags	#ChristmasCardDay #SnailMail #HappyMail

How the Christmas Card Was Born

In 1843, Sir Henry Cole — a busy civil servant who later became the first director of what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum — had too many friends to write Christmas letters to. He asked his artist friend John Callcott Horsley to design a printed card he could send instead.

The card showed a family raising glasses of wine in a toast, surrounded by scenes of feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, with the words “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You”. About 1,000 copies were printed and sold for a shilling each. Some temperance campaigners complained because a child in the picture was drinking wine — the world’s first Christmas card controversy! Very few originals survive, and they now sell for thousands of pounds at auction.

The timing was perfect: Britain’s Penny Post, introduced in 1840, had made sending letters cheap for everyone, and new colour printing methods soon made cards affordable.

Timeline of the Christmas Card

Year	Milestone
1840	Penny Post makes mailing affordable in Britain
1843	Henry Cole’s first commercial Christmas card
1870s	Robins, holly and snow scenes become popular designs
1875	Louis Prang, the “father of the American Christmas card”, sells cards in the U.S.
1915	Hall Brothers (later Hallmark) begins producing Christmas cards
1949	UNICEF sells its first charity greeting card
1953	The first official White House Christmas card is sent under President Eisenhower
1990s–today	E-cards and photo cards join paper cards; personalised printing booms

👉 Keep the season going: Every holiday and observance in December

Christmas Cards Around the World

Country	Language	Greeting
United Kingdom / USA	English	Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
France	French	Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Germany	German	Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr
Spain / Latin America	Spanish	Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Italy	Italian	Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Philippines	Filipino	Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
Poland	Polish	Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku
Sweden	Swedish	God Jul och Gott Nytt År
Nigeria (Yoruba)	Yoruba	E ku odun, e ku iyedun
Japan	Japanese	Merī Kurisumasu (メリークリスマス)

What to Write in a Christmas Card

For family

• “Wishing our wonderful family a Christmas full of love, laughter and too much pudding!”
• “Home is wherever we’re together. Merry Christmas — can’t wait to see you.”

For friends

• “Merry Christmas to the friend who makes every year brighter.”
• “Cheers to good friends, warm drinks and cosy days. Happy holidays!”

For colleagues and clients

• “Thank you for a great year of working together. Warm wishes for a happy holiday season.”
• “Season’s greetings and best wishes for success in the New Year.”

For someone missing a loved one

• “Thinking of you this Christmas and sending love and comfort your way.”

Tips for Perfect Christmas Cards

1. Make a list early — December 9 is a good deadline to start, especially for overseas mail.
2. Check postal deadlines — international mail can take two weeks or more in December.
3. Write by hand — even one personal line makes a printed card special.
4. Add a photo or family update for relatives far away.
5. Choose charity cards — part of the price supports good causes.
6. Go eco-friendly — pick recycled card and avoid glitter, which cannot be recycled.
7. Recycle or reuse old cards as gift tags and decorations.

Fun Christmas Card Facts

• Americans send more than a billion Christmas cards every year, making Christmas the biggest card-sending holiday.
• Early Victorian cards often showed spring flowers, fairies and even odd animals instead of snowy scenes.
• Robins appear on many cards because Victorian postmen wore red coats and were nicknamed “robins”.
• The Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III royal Christmas cards traditionally feature a family photo chosen each year.

👉 Need words? Browse Christmas and holiday wishes

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