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The First Christmas Card

The world’s first commercially produced Christmas card, designed by John Callcott Horsley for Henry Cole in 1843

Have you ever wondered when the first Christmas card was created or who made it? The first printed Christmas card was the idea of British inventor Sir Henry Cole. In 1843 Cole commissioned illustrator John Callcott Horsley to create the design, then sold the printed cards for a shilling each. Three years before that he had helped establish the Universal Penny Post, a postal system that enabled people to send letters throughout England for a penny each. Over 4,000 of his Christmas cards were purchased that first year. So he made some money for himself and encouraged people to use the postal service at the same time!

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