A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-23,24,25,26-04...Let Us Rejoice (Our Christmas Thread)

Billie

[Billie]

(The following excerpts are from Better Homes & Gardens 1993
"Holiday Celebrations"; information & Christmas Cards furnished
by Hallmark Cards, Inc.)

Although the Christmas season has been celebrated for centuries, it wasn't until the last half of the 19th century that printed cards were widely exchanged. Until that time, only a few people sent hand-written Christmas messages - those who could read and write, and afford to pay a messenger. This changed in the mid-1800s, when many people were learning to read and write through free public schools.

The passage of the Penny Postage Act in England in 1840 finally put the price of mailing letters within almost everyone's reach.

The idea of Christmas cards came only three years after England's postal reform. Henry Cole, a London businessman, originated the practice in 1843 when he asked John Calcott Horsley, an artist in the Royal Academy, to design a card conveying his Christmas wishes. The card is believed to be the first commercially-printed Christmas card.

The first-known Christmas card, designed in 1843 by British
artist John Horsley. Only a dozen specimens of the first card
are known to exist. Two of these, including one that has never
been used, are part of the Hallmark Historical Collection in
Kansas City, Missouri.

Several of England's early greeting card companies were established in the 1860s. Cards manufactured from 1860 theough the 1890s by Publisher Charles Goodall & Son and other English competitors - Marcus Ward & Co., De La Rue & Co., and Raphael Tuck & Co. (later called Raphael Tuck & Sons) - are highly sought by collectors because of their limited availability. These cars were exported to the United States and are usually as easy to find here as the domestic cards of the same period.

Sending holiday greeting cards was slow to spread to America. For more than 30 years, the only ones available in this country were imported. Then in 1875, German immigrant Louis Prang, of Boston, began publishing an American version of the popular English missives. By 1881, only six years after the production of his first Christmas cards, Prang was printing 5 million cards a year - most of them Christmas cards. In order to acquire excellent designs, he sponsored contests for artists, with prizes up to $4,000!

Louis Prang, the "father of the American Christmas card",
published this sweet child gracing the cover of a collection
of hymns in 1888.

Prang is credited with establishing card designs with which
we're familiar today. His cards were works of art, often
incorporating as many as 20 different colors.

In the 1890s, the penny-postcard craze hit America, and soon inexpensive German-made postcards flooded the market. Although the cards were crude, the price was right. Until World War I, Germany monopolized the business.

This penny postcard, published in Germany in 1909, features
robins - popular because, according to legend, a small brown
bird fanned a fire to keep the Christ child warm. During the
vigil, the bird's breast was seared scarlet.

The modern greeting card industry began in the early 1900s with the birth of such companies as Hallmark Cards (then known as Hall brothers, Inc.), Rustcraft, Buzza, and American Greetings. Even during the Depression, printed greetings were popular. Money was scarce, so many people sent cards instead of gifts.

World War II shortages curtailed the paper supply. Giltter became more scarce than gold, but still greeting cards survived. The cards became very patriotic - the use of the flag was popular, and even often carried by Santa. Special cards were created for soldiers overseas. "Across the miles" and "Missing you" sentiments reflected the somber reality of the day.

The American flag and the Statute of Liberty are united
for freedom in this inspiring 1942 greeting card.

The Christmas card custom has weathered war, economic turmoil, and social changes spanning well over a century. It serves the timeless human need to stay close, to share special thoughts with friends far and near during our most cherished holiday seasons.

Cards have come a long way since 1843. Designs are more sophisticated; production processes have been refined. But the message on that first Christmas card is as relevant today as it was then ..... "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you".

From all of us to all of you, it is our wish that this Christmas is your best one yet; that your blessings are many; your loved ones are with you; and most of all, that Christ is in your heart.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-20-04 Military Monday 12-21-04 Welcome Home, Allegra 12-22-04 Deck The Finest Halls!

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man
at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

CLICK

[ozbushkin]

Christmas greetings to all my FRiends.

May God bless you and your families. Stay safe and happy holidays!

With best wishes from your FRiend Down Under, ozbushkin

[Billie]

You make such beautiful threads, Billie. Thanks.

:) Thank *you*, Victoria. And you post the most wonderful graphics! Always have!

[backhoe]

Merry Christmas to you and your dear ones, Billie.

[JustAmy]

Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Billie]

Saying hello and wishing you both a Merry Christmas!

[Kitty Mittens]

(((((((Dansangel)))))))

[Mama_Bear]

Merry Christmas to you! See you in DC.

Syncro and JustAmy's Marissa. 12/22/04

[Billie]

LOL! I appreciate your catching it before T Man found it. Prolly wouldn't get it back if he got it first. :)

[jwfiv]

Oh, I think you're gonna need a size 12 stocking ... )

[JustAmy]

Thank you for posting the picture, Lori.

She had a ball last night. Tho, she did get a little carried away.

[visualops]

Excellent!
It went over very well at the Christmas party at work today, I brought a little back home and hubby & I each enjoyed a piece for dessert.

[austingirl]

Merry Christmas back to you! I have bronchitis which I do believe I got on the airplane when I went out west to visit my boys. So I am taking antibiotics and staying indoors.

[visualops]

That's very pretty, I love the snowy owl up front!

[luvie]

MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!!

BLESSINGS TO ALL THAT GO HERE.

[Darksheare]

Merry Christmas!

[Darksheare]

EEEk, company.

Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

[Dubya]

For those of you who are without cats, here's a glimpse at
the extra joy and process they bring to the task of wrapping
presents.

1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.

2. Go to wardrobe and collect bag in which present is
contained, and close door.

3. Open door and remove cat from wardrobe.

4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.

5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.

6. Go to drawer and collect transparent sticky tape,
ribbons, scissors, labels, etc.

7. Lay out present and wrapping materials on table, to
enable wrapping strategy to be formed.

8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has
been in the drawer since last visit, and collect string.

9. Remove present from bag.

10. Remove cat from bag.

11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace
present.

12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.

13. Cut the paper to size, trying to keep the cutting line
straight.

14. Throw away first sheet because cat tried to chase the
scissors and tore paper.

15. Cut second sheet of paper to size by putting cat in the
bag the present came out of.

16. Place present on cut-to-size paper.

17. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present, wonder why
edges now don't reach, and find cat between present and
paper. Remove cat and retry.

18. Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting
transparent sticky tape.

19. Spend next 20 minutes carefully trying to remove
transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.

20. Seal paper down with transparent sticky tape, making
corners as neat as possible.

21. Look for roll of ribbon; chase cat down hall and
retrieve ribbon.

22. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional
turn.

23. Re-roll up ribbon and remove paper that is now torn,
due to cat's enthusiasm in chasing ribbon end.

24. Repeat steps 12-22 until down to last sheet of paper.

25. Decide to skip steps 12-16 in order to save time and
reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old
cardboard box that you know is right size for sheet of paper.

26. Put present in box, and tie down with string.

27. Remove string, open box and remove cat.

28. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head
for lockable room.

29. Once inside room, lock door and start to re-lay out
packing materials.

30. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door,
close door and re-lock.

31. Lay out last sheet of paper. (Admittedly this is
difficult in the small area of the bathroom, but try your
best!)

32. Seal box, wrap with paper and start repairs by very
carefully sealing down tears with transparent sticky tape.
Now tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst
affected areas.

33. Label, then sit back and admire your handiwork,
congratulating yourself on making good of a bad job.

34. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed
cat.

35. Spend next 15 minutes looking for cat, before coming to
obvious conclusion.

36. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.

37. Retrieve all discarded sheets of wrapping paper, feed
cat and retire to lockable room for last attempt, making
certain you are alone and the door is locked.

38. At time of handing over present, smile sweetly at
receiver's face, as they try and hide their contempt at
being handed such a badly wrapped present.

39. Promise yourself that next year, you will get the store
to wrap the present for you.

[MeekOneGOP]

I been tryin' to be good. Don't always succeed, though, haha! :^D

[Dubya]

A little girl went up to her mother one day while holding her stomach saying, "Mommy, my stomach hurts."

Her mother replied, "That's because it's empty, you have to put something into it!" She then prepared a bowl of soup.

Later that day when the pastor and his wife were over for dinner. The pastor began to feel bad. Holding his head he said, "I have such a terrible headache!"

The little girl looked up at him, giving him the sweetest smile that any little child could give. Then she said, "That's because it's empty, you have to put something into it!"

[LadyX]

Your presentation of this thread is just lovely, Billie, in both content and illustrations -- it is fit indeed for presenting the awesome gift of Our Savior and King.