The birth and meaning of the greeting card

Origin and History of New Year's Cards

I. Chinese New Year Cards

The origin of Chinese New Year's cards has its origins. In the early years, at the beginning of the New Year, those in official positions or of low rank would pay their respects to those who were older or more senior. In the absence of the host, or if the family had guests of honour who were not available, the caller would leave a red card (or one with red letters) with the words "New Year's greetings" on it, as a token of his or her wish to pay a personal visit. (It is not known whether New Year cards were sent.)

However, in 1981, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of China issued New Year's Greetings postcards (HP) specifically to wish the New Year, and on 1 December 1991, in response to market demand, it began issuing China Post New Year's Greetings postcards with prizes. A series of postal products integrating art, exhibition and collection has been formed, becoming an important part of the postal supplies of the new China, and is loved by the majority of philatelists.

II. World New Year Cards

Theory 1: It is said that Christmas cards began in 1844. At that time, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England celebrated Christmas in Windsor Castle in London by inviting royal children into the palace for a banquet with congratulatory messages printed on the invitations. Europeans have since followed suit, using such cards with congratulatory messages to congratulate each other on Christmas and the New Year.

Story 2: In 1843, a young man in his teens called Henkel was apprenticed to a carving shop in England. At Christmas time, he was too busy to write to his family and friends, so he cut up some pieces of white paper and asked a famous artist to paint a picture of a family sitting down to celebrate Christmas, with a congratulatory message written in the centre of the piece of paper: 'Congratulations on Christmas and the New Year! He sent them to friends and relatives. He then worked with the artist and printed a thousand of them in the same way, selling them all for a shilling, except for a hundred for themselves. Since then there have been Christmas cards.

Story 3: On Christmas Day in 1842, the English missionary George Pulitzer painted a picture of the birth of Jesus on a card and wrote two sentences: "Have a happy Christmas and a safe New Year. He then sent the card to his friend who was a missionary in Africa.

When Sir Henry Cowell saw it, he thought it was so meaningful that he asked the artist Mowgli to design and make a card to give to a close friend. It is said that the card depicts a beautiful picture of family Christmas cheer, and in one corner of the picture is written: 'Have a happy Christmas and a joyful New Year'.

In 1864, the Prince of Arbat of England made a special effort to promote this event by printing a thousand Christmas cards with Christmas pictures, which were put on sale. By 1865, printed Christmas cards were being sold in large numbers. Firstly, they were printed by a German lithographic factory and then shipped to England for sale. From England the cards were sent all over the world, and the custom of sending Christmas cards gradually became popular.

By the early twentieth century, it was commonplace to send Christmas cards to friends and relatives, both Christian and non-Christian, to wish them well and to celebrate the New Year. This gave rise to the more non-religious (or oriental) 'New Year's cards'. ---- The reason for this is that Christmas is considered 'New Year's Day' in the West, as opposed to the East, where one festival is considered to be a festival.