Christmas Cards are a Tradition that Will Always Exist

“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.”-Edna Ferber (brainyquote.com). Sending Christmas cards make people feel overjoyed because they are doing something good for their loved ones. Christmas cards have been so popular that the retailers can pick up 1.6 billion cards sold in sales, and a little over 1.5 billion end up being distributed (moo.com). Christmas cards originated in London and were not brought to the United States until 1915. The tradition of sending cards at Christmas began in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and John Calcott Horsley, and people still send them today even though this tradition is fading away with the younger generations.

Because of younger generations lack of interest in the concept of Christmas cards, they are becoming less popular. Nonetheless, Hallmark still makes quite the profit due to the notion of holiday cards creating an annual average of anywhere from seven to eight billion dollars in revenue. Hallmark draws in their customers by creating 2,000 plus designs for the consumers cover image (hallmark.com). Hallmark generates anywhere from seven to eight billion dollars annually solely made up of Christmas card sales (time.com).

Christmas cards take up 61% of the market per year, although only 45% of all cards acquired end up being distributed (moo.com). Only 15% of men buy Christmas cards each year (moo.com). Despite the fact that Christmas cards are declining in popularity, 91% of people over the age of 55 still forward Christmas cards to their loved ones (moo.com). Christmas card publishers in America exceed more than 3,000 retailers in total (hubspot.net). The Christmas season persuades people to buy Christmas cards in the spirit of giving; making it the most profitable time for card distributors. This leads to the highest amount in card sales per year (hubspot.net). As Christmas cards were first beginning, there were only a small collection making their debut. Of the original 1,000 Christmas cards, about 20 still remain in continuation (housebeautiful.com). Every year, roughly 64% of the entire United States send Christmas cards (bellevue.edu)

Many different artistic designs have been added to Christmas cards over the years. The most popular illustration on a cover of a Christmas card is a polar bear (housebeautiful.com). Christmas cards with robins have drastically declined by a staggering 29.2% from 2016 (housebeautiful.com). The second and third most frequent image on the cover of a Christmas card is a Christmas tree and a snowman. As of 2017, Christmas trees have risen in population 29%, while snowmen have increased throughout the past decade by roughly 15.2%

( housebeautiful.com). The highest valued greeting on Christmas cards is “Merry Christmas”(hubspot.net). This phrase is on an average of 53% of annual Christmas cards (hubspot.net).

Most Christmas cards are just ordinary things that people send to make other people happy during the holiday season, but one person went above and beyond. One person sent a monumental sized card achieving a maximum height of 2,582.59 feet (telegraph.co). The tiniest Christmas card could be placed on a first class stamp 8,000 times (moo.com). In the beginning of the 21st century, the first Christmas card made was sold in auction for a price of $35,800; making it the most expensive Christmas card in the world (hubspot.net). Finally, In the December of 1975, Werner Erhard transmitted the record amount of Christmas cards during the largest celebrational season with a total amount of 62,824 cards (moo.com).

Nationwide, Christmas is celebrated, and everyone has a different way of celebrating. For instance, in 1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to make the first proper White House Christmas card (moo.com). In the year of 2006, Hallmark decided to come out with a movie specifically about Christmas cards.

Christmas cards began back in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole and John Calcott Horsley (bellevue.edu). Originally, Christmas cards came from London (moo.com). In 1900, Hallmark Cards first began, but it wasn’t until 1915 that Hallmark made their first Christmas card (hallmark.com).

In the most recent of times, Christmas cards have developed and changed lots more. In 2001, the first Christmas card sold in an auction for an astonishing $35,800. As of 2007, the family average spent on Christmas cards was $29.78 (statista.com). As for how they have changed, the original purpose was solely to convey the love of Jesus Christ, but is now more commonly used to communicate between family during the holiday season (dayspring.com).

During the Christmas season, Christmas cards are one of the most popular traditions in the United States. Sir Henry Cole and John Calcott Horsley began the idea of Christmas cards; although, they are fading faster each year. Christmas cards are very popular even though electronics are getting in the way. Although most people send cards through their phones or laptops, it is still a multi-billion dollar industry. 

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