Advent Fact

The first commercial Christmas card was originally conceived in Italy in 1843 by John Calcott Horsley at the behest of English civil servant and inventor Sir Henry Cole, who wished to raise awareness of the terrible and desolate living conditions of the poor, and encourage people to help those less fortunate than themselves.

The first cards depicted a happy family drinking wine with the now familiar phrase "A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year To You" (see below). Although they initially proved controversial they were, however, an immediate success, selling a total of 2,050 cards at a shilling each.