Christmas Card Day is finally here! As we get closer to December 25, it’s time to celebrate one of the traditions of Christmas – sending holiday cards to your loved ones!
There are so many things that make Christmas magical – the scent of fresh pine, decorating for the holiday, hanging ornaments on the Christmas tree, gift giving, making snowmen, and letting your loved ones know how special they are!
That’s where Christmas Card Day comes in. This day is the perfect way to let your friends and family, near and far, know you’re thinking of them this holiday season.
So, grab a plate of cookies, and a glass of eggnog, and get ready to start autographing your Christmas cards as we learn more about this day and Christmas card history!
What is Christmas Card Day?
Christmas Card Day is a day that falls annually on December 9. This day reminds us to send out Christmas cards to all our family and friends!
Sending e-cards has risen in popularity over the years, but there’s something so special and traditional about sending Christmas cards by mail.
When you drop your Christmas cards in the mailbox, don’t forget to mail your Christmas lists to Santa’s address at the North Pole!
He’s been making his naughty and nice lists, and I’m sure mailing your loved ones Christmas cards would win some extra points with Mr. Holiday Spirit himself! Don’t forget to check which one of Santa’s lists you’re on this year.
Christmas card history
Christmas Card Day honors Sir Henry Cole, who created the first Christmas card in 1843 with the help of John Callcott Horsley’s artistic skills.
Sir Henry Cole has an impressive resume. In addition to inventing the first Christmas card, he was also an educator, patron of the arts, founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum, reformer of the British Postal Service, and British civil servant.
Check out our post on the first Christmas card to learn more about Sir Henry Cole, his impact on the tradition of giving Christmas cards, and the design of the first Christmas card.
If you’re interested in learning more about how greeting cards for other holiday evolved, make sure to read our guide to the symbols of Valentine’s Day. It dives in to the history of Valentine’s Day cards.
Fun facts about Christmas cards
Brush up on your knowledge of this holiday tradition with these fun facts about Christmas cards.
- The first commercial Christmas card was invented by Sir Henry Cole and illustrated by John Callcott Horsley in 1853.
- In 2001, one of the first Christmas cards made by Sir Henry Cole sold at an auction for 22,500 pounds, which is the equivalent of about 30,000 dollars!
- 1.6 billion Christmas cards are sent every year in the United States.
- Hallmark made their first Christmas card in 1915, five years after the company opened in 1910.
- The first folded Christmas card was created by Hallmark. People were complaining that there wasn’t enough space to write their own messages, so Hallmark doubled the writing space and became a go-to Christmas card brand.
How to observe Christmas Card Day
There are lots of ways to celebrate Christmas Card Day. Here are some creative ideas to help honor this day.
- Send your own Christmas cards today! If you want to make them extra special you could include a holiday photo, a Christmas quote, or a letter catching your friends and family up on the year.
- Display the Christmas cards you receive. Some people hang them on a string, others tape them to the wall. In my home growing up we set them up in a line on the piano.
- Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. One of Sir Henry Cole’s first Christmas cards is on display there in the National Art Library.
- Write a thank you note for the Christmas cards you receive this year! Someone sent them to you because you’re special to them, think of how it would brighten their day to see your note of gratitude in the mail!
- Look for the word “card” in our Christmas word search and unscramble it from our Christmas word scramble.
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Christmas Card Day is here! Head to Always the Holidays to learn facts about Christmas cards and fascinating Christmas card history. 🎄 💌 🎅 Share on XMore national days in December
National days of the year are a fun way to celebrate odd and unusual foods, animals and items that you come into contact with. Be sure to check out my national day’s guide for more fun days to celebrate.
There are almost 2000 national days in the year and over 150 of them are celebrated in December.
To see them all, have a look at this post to discover more about the national days in December. For those who enjoy puzzles, be sure to check out the December word search printable of national days.
Be sure to also check out these other national days this month:
- National Christmas Lights Day – Give the month a bright start by celebrating the history of Christmas Lights on December 1.
- National Christmas Tree Day – Visit this post for a DIY alphabet block Christmas tree tutorial to celebrate the national day.
- National Poinsettia Day – Check out ways to celebrate this national day, and learn facts about poinsettias.
- Gingerbread House Day – For this national day, check these creative gingerbread house ideas and learn the history of gingerbread too!
- National Candy Cane Day – Get our recipe for a candy cane cream cheese spread and learn about this national day.
December is full of national days and holiday parties. If you need a Christmas dessert to bring to your next holiday party check out one of our favorites – Christmas chocolate dirt pudding cups!
More December 9 national days
Did you enjoy learning about Christmas Card Day? Well you’re in luck, December 9 is host to more than just one national day!
Here is a complete list of all the December 9 national days:
- Christmas Card Day
- National Pastry Day
- National Llama Day
- Weary Willie Day
- International Anti-Corruption Day
- International Day of Veterinary Medicine
- World Techno Day
As you’re celebrating this year, don’t forget to leave some time to make cookies for jolly old Saint Nicholas! We heard he loves gingerbread cookies.
Pin this post on Christmas Card Day for later
Would you like a reminder of this post for Christmas Card Day? Just pin this image to one of your Christmas boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
You can also watch our Christmas quotes video on YouTube to get some inspiration for your Christmas messages.
About the author
Since graduating from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jess has been living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She is a freelance writer, specializing in content related to fashion, food and drink and film industry topics. Find out more about Jess here.