Christmas greetings for our soldiers
For soldiers in the field, Christmas will be just another day in the long line of days spent away from their families. Letters, V-mail, care packages, and cards often help boost the morale of military personnel while serving far from home.
The first known Christmas card was sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. He commissioned a local artist to create a decorative card that would allow him to save time by mailing holiday greetings to all of his associates. Original Christmas card inscriptions typically read “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.” In 1875, Louis Prang became the first printer in America to offer Christmas cards. After the dawn of the 20th century, Christmas cards flourished. On June 26, 1870, legislation was passed to declare Christmas a federal holiday.
Since World War I, military units have developed unique Christmas cards honoring their military divisions in the hopes of boosting morale both abroad and at home. During both World War I and II, Christmas cards on the home front were designed with patriotic themes. Cards from the battle front often depicted planes, jeeps, and hand drawn sketches. The collection of cards displayed in this online exhibit extends over a period of time from World War I to the first Gulf War.
The cards are on loan from the collection of Ron Fuller.
Photo gallery
