[Ads-l] "Christmas card" antedated

[George Thompson]

In the TLS [formerly Times Literary Supplement] of August 24 & 31, p. 6,
there is a letter form a hopeful author who is compiling what will be the
Oxford Handbook of Christmas, saying:
"For many decades now it has been believed that the first Christmas card
for general sale was the Henry Cole - J. C. Horsley one of 1843.  I think I
have found one from considerably earlier.  In the December 7, 1829 issue of
the *Hampshire Chronicle* one reads the following notice: "We learn that
the "Olde Winchester" Christmas and New Year's Greetings, designed by Mr.
A. Clements, of Northgate Studio, are receiving a most cordial welcome from
Christmas card buyers. . . .  Large numbers have been sent abroad to
friends interested in Winchester.""
I note that this passage certainly implies that there was already in 1829
such a thing as a Christmas card.
If any of you have this card, Timothy Larsen of Wheaton College, Wheaton
Illinois wants to hear from you.

There are divergent entries in the OED, I suppose reflecting a incomplete
revision.

Christmas-card  n. an ornamental card sent by way of Christmas greeting;
(the custom began in England about 1867); also used attributively, esp. =
chocolate-boxy adj. at chocolate box n. and adj. Derivatives
<http://www.oed.com.proxy.library.nyu.edu/view/Entry/431263#eid336328113>.
1883   J. Ruskin Fors Clavigera VIII. 219   There is a Christmas card, with
a picture of English ‘nativity’ for you.
1895   G. B. Shaw in  Sat. Rev. 28 Sept. 410/2   Christmas-card verse of
the ‘rose by any other name’ order.
1907   G. B. Shaw Major Barbara i in  John Bull's Other Island 209
Your Christmas
card moralities..are of no use to me.
1910   Westm. Gaz. 3 Jan. 4/2   The New Year's card, that refuge of the
laggard Christmas-card sender.
1962   J. B. Priestley Margin Released iii. iv. 183   A sort of
Christmas-card past.
While under "card" there is
*6d.* with defining nouns prefixed, as  birthday card,  Christmas card,  Easter
card,  New Year cards, printed with ornamental designs, etc. to be sent (on
the occasions indicated) as an expression of compliments or good
wishes;  collecting
cards, on which small donations received by collection for charitable
institutions are recorded; menu cards, etc.
*a*1869   ‘E. Garrett’ Occup. Retired Life vii. 133   A Christmas card gives
as much delight as a Christmas-box.


GAT

-- 
George A. Thompson
The Guy Who Still Looks Stuff Up in Books.
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
Univ. Pr., 1998.

But when aroused at the Trump of Doom / Ye shall start, bold kings, from
your lowly tomb. . .
L. H. Sigourney, "Burial of Mazeen", Poems.  Boston, 1827, p. 112

The Trump of Doom -- also known as The Dunghill Toadstool.  (Here's a
picture of his great-grandfather.)
http://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/james-gillray/an-excrescence---a-fungus-alias-a-toadstool-upon-a-dunghill/3851

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