Simply choose the image you wish to send by clicking on it. It's
easy and it's free.
Although people had exchanged hand-written greetings for centuries,
commercially printed Christmas cards seem to have originated in
London in the mid 19th century.
The first Christmas card was probably designed in 1843 by London
artist John Calcott Horsley. He was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole,
a wealthy British businessman who wanted a card to send to friends
and business acquaintances. The inscription read: ‘merry Christmas
and a happy New Year to you.’ This card is now in the Victoria
and Albert Museum, London.
These images, seven Christian and eight secular, all come from
the British Library’s collections.
'Chopping Logs' is a leaf from The Golf Book, a 16th-century Book
of Hours by Simon Bening. You can turn
the pages of this book and 17 other wonderful books on your screen
now!
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![London Psalter [Scandinavian Psalter]. Anon., Paris, 1250-60. (BL Add. Ms 17868, f.16v)](/cgi-bin/ecards/ecards.cgi?image=/ecards/images/x_add17868_350.jpg&title=London+Psalter+[Scandinavian+Psalter].+Anon.,+Paris,+1250-60.+(BL+Add.+Ms+17868,+f.16v))
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