The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first 'Penny Post' public postal deliveries began. As printing methods improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. They became even more popular in Britain when a card could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one half-penny - half the price of an ordinary letter.
Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures - Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story. Today, pictures are often jokes, winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.
發(fā)送圣誕卡的風俗開始在英國1840年,當?shù)谝粋€"便士郵遞"公眾郵遞系統(tǒng)啟動.隨著印刷技術(shù)的發(fā)展,到1860年圣誕卡已經(jīng)生產(chǎn)很大的數(shù)量了.圣誕卡真正在英國受到歡迎是當用半便士就可以發(fā)送一張不用密封的信封里的時候.
圣誕卡是祝賀圣誕及新年的賀卡,傳統(tǒng)的圣誕卡上面印著關(guān)于耶穌降生故事的圖畫以及宗教性質(zhì)的照片,發(fā)展到今天圣誕卡有很多的各式各樣畫面圖片,像一些幽默的圖片,圣誕老人的圖片,老式浪漫愛情的圖片等等。