Overview:
This feature explores the enduring tradition of Christmas cards, tracing their origins from Victorian England to their continued relevance in the digital age. Through historical context, cultural analysis, and iconic artistic themes, the article examines why traditional Christmas card designs—centered on nature, faith, nostalgia, and family—remain meaningful in 2025.
Rest Ye Merry
Imagine a landscape covered in a white quilt. One can almost feel the softness of snow and hear the hush of a world gone still. Rolling hills, peaceful farmland, or an idyllic city street set the stage for many of the Christmas cards we remember from childhood. Grandma’s elegant cursive signed our name with love, reminding us how special and important family bonds are.
Although the world of these iconic cards may feel far away, the love and hope they imparted never fade. Today, Christmas cards range from simple to chic. Retro themes and modern design combine to create personal gifts and spaces to share heartfelt words.
In an age of text messages and a myriad of apps, taking the time to jot a few lines means more than ever, and the top five traditional Christmas card themes reinforce this reality.
Cup of Cheer
The Postal Museum
“In the J.C. Horsley came & brought his design for Christmas Cards,” Sir Henry Cole wrote in his diary on December 17, 1843. Cole, a prominent British inventor and politician, found himself with an interesting predicament. Like many who climbed the social ladder, Cole discovered he had little leisure time to reply to all of his friends.
In polite society, every piece of correspondence—personal or business—required a reply. Cole’s life was full of meetings and social engagements. How could he follow proper etiquette without losing more sleep?
According to the Smithsonian, as Cole “watched the stacks of unanswered correspondence, he fretted over what to do.” Then an idea sprang up. Cole called upon the services of his artist friend, J.C. Horsley, and proposed a small illustrated greeting. If the paper could be printed in large quantities, it could be sent by the new Penny Post across Great Britain in time for Christmas.
Horsley accepted the challenge and created the first holiday greeting card. The design depicted a family seated at Christmas dinner while also caring for the less fortunate. Together, Cole and Horsley touched on the bedrock of Victorian life: family and Christian duty. One thousand copies were printed by a London printer and distributed.
Despite initial criticism, Cole’s idea spread, and a new Christmas tradition was born. The fashion extended across Europe and eventually to the United States. According to historical accounts, Prussian immigrant Louis Prang created the first American Christmas card in Boston in 1875.
In 1968, 20th-century artist George Buday wrote, “In the manufacture of Victorian Christmas cards, we witness the emergence of a form of popular art, accommodated to the transitory conditions of society and its production methods.”
The Top Five
Since the advent of the Christmas card, five traditional themes have remained classic favorites. While distinct, they share a similar warmth. Each style reflects the culture of its time and how people viewed the world around them. Presence News reviewed traditional designs and found these five themes still relevant in 2025.
Evergreen
Victorians celebrated nature, especially in the aftermath of the Romantic Era. Rapid industrialization in both the United Kingdom and the United States led many to reevaluate their relationship with the land. Even as Christmas became more commercialized, holly sprigs and snowy landscapes conveyed a sense of tranquility.
In New England, scenes created by the celebrated team of Currier and Ives depicted ice-skating parties and winter bonfires. Americans embraced these themes, particularly during the World War II era, and they continue to enjoy prominence today.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0V9jD1NY9i/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
For those looking to stretch their budget or learn a new hobby, handmade cards featuring natural themes offer a clean and sophisticated alternative.
O Little Town
Coming in at number four, depictions of peaceful towns or villages remain a popular card theme. Hallmark movies may sometimes feel clichéd, but the desire to slow down and return to one’s roots is genuine. Longing for home, family, and meaningful relationships resonates even with the most stoic among us.
Perhaps the modern embodiment of this ideal can be seen in the work of artist Thomas Kinkade. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, Kinkade’s artwork depicted scenes glowing in soft light. His paintings were reproduced widely on Hallmark greeting cards, presenting an America just beyond reach.
BBC journalist Nicholas Barber wrote, “Kinkade didn’t sell the paintings themselves, but the hazy idylls they depicted were soon being printed on collectible plates advertised in newspapers and magazines. For many Americans, they were comforting refuges from the modern world.”
https://www.parkwestgallery.com/blog/behind-the-artist-thomas-kinkade/
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Other greeting card companies also offer cozy scenes of town greens and local life. Kinkade’s works remain popular and collectible. Though he struggled with personal challenges, the “Painter of Light” continues to reflect the “hopes and fears of all the years.”
Clean Lines
The third most popular Christmas card style emerged more recently. Trends come and go, but the retro appeal of the 1960s still strikes a familiar chord. By the late 1950s, daily life took on new complexities, reflected in the clean, sleek look of home décor, clothing, and hairstyles. Geometric shapes, bold colors, and playful fonts captured a thoroughly modern spirit.
Victorian-era carolers gradually gave way to Santa Claus, silver tinsel, and contemporary imagery. Religious themes remained present, but a shift was underway. Television’s growing influence forced printed media to compete in new ways.
Today, retro Christmas cards tap into nostalgia as Millennials and Gen Z seek to recapture the warmth of earlier decades.
Heavenly Peace
The first documented celebration of Christmas took place in A.D. 336 in Rome during the reign of Emperor Constantine. After legalizing Christianity, Constantine ended persecution of the church and granted civil liberties to Christians.
Many historians note that celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 was partly intended to align with existing Roman festivals, including Saturnalia and the winter solstice. As the Roman Catholic Church spread across Europe, Christmas became an established tradition.
Following the Protestant Reformation, some Christian groups in the United Kingdom and North America rejected Christmas observance. Puritans in New England, along with Presbyterians, Baptists, and Quakers, often shunned the holiday. By the 1800s, however, Christmas celebrations became more widely accepted.
Images of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus soon appeared on greeting cards, symbolizing the nativity. Today, the second most traditional cards feature scenes from Jesus’ early life, including the visit of the Three Wise Men. While Christmas includes many secular elements, religious themes remain important to many.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DRQ2gn5kx3M/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
All Together
Claiming the top spot, the most enduring Christmas card theme portrays families and friends together. Whether dressed in Victorian attire or shown in modern settings, these images emphasize togetherness and joy.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/771171136167533945/
Etsy and other creative marketplaces offer handmade interpretations, while Hallmark continues final to sell boutique designs centered on family life. Since the earliest greeting cards, family values and shared moments have remained at the heart of the tradition.
No matter the time of year, taking a moment to send a few handwritten lines can warm the heart of the recipient, reminding us that joy and peace are never truly absent.
Sources:
The History of the Christmas Card — Victoria and Albert Museum
Smithsonian Magazine The History of the Christmas Card —
BBC ‘Banal and hollow’: Why the quaint paintings of Thomas Kinkade divided the US —
Instagram Reel die.handschreiberei
Pinterest Pin Daniele Vintage Christmas Memes
Behind the Artist: Thomas Kinkade — Park West Gallery
Editor’s Disclaimer:
This article is intended for informational and cultural purposes. Historical details about Christmas cards, their origins, and related traditions are based on widely accepted sources. Interpretations of historical events and cultural practices are presented to provide context and insight, and may reflect general scholarly consensus.
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