Christmas cards: often seen as a simple, festive gesture. But behind the cheerful images and warm wishes lies a world of surprising facts, intriguing stories, and unexpected twists. Dive in to discover how Christmas cards have played roles in everything from secret operations to scientific advancements!
1. The Moon Is Almost Always Wrong
Astronomers, those eagle-eyed guardians of the night sky, have turned their gaze from the stars to something far more terrestrial: Christmas cards. In their examination of holiday imagery, they’ve noticed a recurring inaccuracy: the Moon is often depicted incorrectly. These lunar errors appear in night scenes on cards, books, and even wrapping paper.
It started when astronomer Peter Barthel spotted impossible Moons on a UNICEF Christmas card and an Advent calendar. Both showed a waning crescent Moon at the wrong time of night. Barthel’s study of imagery from the U.S. and the Netherlands revealed that up to 65% of the Moons were incorrect. Barthel believes artists should honor science and depict the correct lunar phases.
2. The First Christmas Card
The tradition of printed Christmas cards is relatively recent, dating back only to 1843. The first card, hand-colored and sold for a shilling, sparked a global industry that thrives today. Of the initial print run of 1,000, only 21 are known to have survived.
Designed by Henry Cole and illustrated by John Callcott Horsley, the card depicted a family drinking wine around a table, accompanied by the words “A merry Christmas and a happy new year to you.” Cole’s original proof remains in a private collection, and one of the cards, recently displayed at the Charles Dickens Museum in London, was sent to a married couple by their son.
The convergence of this card and Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” in 1843 was a coincidence. The novel has been adapted into countless TV specials and movies as December fodder for viewers. Neither Cole nor Dickens knew they were about to change Christmas forever.
3. The JFK Cards
In November 1963, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had planned to spend Thanksgiving with family in Massachusetts, followed by Christmas in Palm Beach. Before these celebrations, they planned a campaign tour through five cities, unaware of the tragedy that awaited them in Dallas.
The Kennedys received their annual custom-printed Christmas cards from Hallmark. The cover featured a photograph of the 18th-century Neapolitan creche from the White House’s East Room, along with an embossed seal and holiday greetings. They signed about 75 cards, planning to complete the rest upon their return from Texas.
Due to JFK’s assassination, the cards were never sent. Today, these presidential mementos are considered rare, with one on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
4. The Terrifying Fiore Family
The Fiore family’s 2015 Christmas card was definitely not a moment to argue with them. Four generations posed with an arsenal that would make Santa think twice about a midnight visit.
At the center stood Michele Fiore, a Nevada Republican assemblywoman. In front of her, a 5-year-old grandson held a Walther p22. Fiore’s mother stood next to her, holding her Extar EXP556. Other family members held their own firearms or had weapons strapped to their bodies.
The card caused a sensation. Fiore was unbothered, telling Fox News that giving and receiving firearms as Christmas gifts was perfectly reasonable. This wasn’t surprising, considering her previous threats to shoot Syrian refugees and her desire to see guns carried by campus students.
5. A Unique Fossil Swap
When fossil researchers exchange Christmas cards, things get unique. For decades, Edward Heron-Allen and Arthur Earland, two volunteers at the Natural History Museum in London, exchanged December wishes using tiny marine creatures.
During the early 20th century, they cataloged and described ancient Foraminifera fossils. Their collection of microscope slides, depicting hundreds of species, remains valuable. But it was their habit of using excess Foraminifera fossils to craft Christmas slides that made their story so intriguing. Indeed, their fossil-studded “cards” are unique.
For over 25 years, Earland and Heron-Allen spread mutual cheer with their slides. But Heron-Allen was a lawyer and scholar, and highly honored for his work with Foraminifera. While Earland’s work was just as good, he was not offered the same accolades and promotions. To most, he was nothing more than his day job – a Post Office worker. Things soured and interestingly, the downward spiral of their friendship can be seen in the slides. Each year, the fossil cards became less elaborate and plainer until they stopped.
6. They Will Survive The Digital Age
Many believe that the Christmas card is doomed due to the availability of free digital cards. However, cheap card sales are dwindling, but not the expensive sort. Christmas cards will survive the digital competition by becoming an elite item.
A 2016 survey showed that 105 million cards were sold, each bought as a single upmarket gift that totaled £184 million in the United Kingdom alone. More people love sending or receiving custom-made cards. Artists sell their unique handmade pieces online or through retail stores, with prices going as high as £18.95. As stunning as digital cards are, none come with an actual ink-on-paper handwritten message.
7. Santa’s Image Upsets Health Experts
In 2009, health experts decided that Santa Claus was no role model for kids. Dr. Nathan Grills from Australia, in particular, accused Santa of promoting an unhealthy lifestyle.
Grills pointed out that Santa was obese, sped with his vehicle, and, since many cards depict him with a pipe, was a free tobacco ad. Worse, Santa is a drunken driver, who would set a breathalyzer on fire by Grill’s opinion, Santa should be depicted as a slim man on a treadmill.
8. Police Warn Shoplifters With Cards
The police department in Northern Ireland has an address book with a list of criminals and festive-themed cards with the purpose to warn these criminals.
Criminals love Christmas. There is a marked uptick in-store thefts during this time. In 2016, Operation Nutmeg was to deter people from hiding stuff in their long coats and walking out without paying.
The most prolific pinchers were sent a Christmas card but instead of seasonal wishes, they were warned that the police would be watching them.
9. A Microscopic Holiday Message
Combine 200 of the world’s smallest Christmas cards and they will cover the area of a postage stamp. As the brainchild of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the United Kingdom, the card is measured in microns.
Created in 2017, the card was 15 microns (0.015 millimeters) wide and 20 microns (0.02 mm) tall, making it thinner than a human hair. The card can only be seen under a microscope and shows a happy snowman and the words “Season’s Greetings.” Inside are the words “From NPL.”
The exercise was a test run to refine technologies at the micron-scale. Successful miniaturization always improves the fields of electronics and medicine. In this case, it broke a world record and brought the delicate technology a step closer to mainstream use.
10. The Only Photo Of A Secret Meeting
In 1938, a group arrived at a manor house in England. To the casual observer, the 150 men and women descended upon Bletchley Park for a weekend party. But the light-heartedness and mingling was a cover. In reality, the guests were codebreakers from M16 and the Government Code and Cypher School.
The gathering was a crucial operation to crack Italian naval codes. Their work before and during World War II was so important that historians believe the so-called “Captain Ridley’s shooting party,” might have shortened the war by two years. Due to the secret nature of their work, the codebreakers were never publically put on a pedestal.
No photographs of the meeting existed until a Christmas card surfaced. In recent years, the daughter of a female codebreaker found the card between her mother’s belongings. Experts believe it was mundane on purpose. Not wanting to attract attention to a secret group, the person who send the card was Lady Evelyn Sinclair, the sister of the chief of M16. She addressed it to codebreaker Joan Wingfield as a subtle but heartfelt thanks for the team’s work.
From astronomical inaccuracies to secret wartime gatherings, Christmas cards hold more than just festive cheer. They capture moments in history, reflect evolving cultural values, and sometimes, even harbor a bit of controversy.
What’s the most memorable Christmas card you’ve ever received? Share your stories in the comments below!
