Be it birthday or Christmas, what’s on your wish list? As genie-friends I’m sure you’d love a DNA kit, or an Ancestry or Findmypast subscription and a box of chocolates or two … but let’s get down to it … here’s what we REALLY want!

Note: I was inspired to create this after seeing a similar (but US-orientated) one that Ancestry created an put up on Instagram, which you can view here.

So what are you REALLY after this Christmas?

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It’s that time of year again, when we get out box of Christmas cards and our address book, and start writing cards to those on our Christmas card list this year. There is no doubt that this has become a Christmas tradition right around the world.

But when did this tradition actually start?

Well … way back on 9 December 1843 actually (although some dispute that, and say May 1843). Either way, it is a LONG time ago!

A description online tells us that …

Sir Henry Cole, Director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, found that writing numerous Christmas greetings to friends and colleagues was becoming a time-consuming task. He asked his artist friend, John Calcott Horsley, to design a card which could be used by Cole and also sold to the public. The first Christmas cards were created in England on 9 December 1843. Horsley produced 1,000 lithographed and hand-coloured cards. More like postcards, they sold for a shilling, which was the equivalent of a day’s wages for a labourer. It was another twenty years before Christmas cards became commercially viable for the common man, following the invention of cheaper colour lithography.

The image at the top is one of the “first ever” Christmas card, according to Wikipedia.

And as the cards became affordable, the stationery companies found it profitable, and they certainly haven’t stopped making them since!

While I don’t have any Christmas cards in my family’s heirlooms that date back to 1843, I do have some old, vintage ones that I have scanned and are pictured below (click on each for a larger image). Most of these would be from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, with at least some of them being written by my great grandmother, Ella Alice Randell (nee Sinkinson).

Also as you’ll see, today’s cards don’t match the style of those 100+ years ago. They were so classy back then. Lots of flowers, lots of embossing, and not Christmas tree or Father Christmas in sight.

Christmas card 1 – front

Christmas card 1 – inside

Christmas card 1 – back

Christmas card 2 – front

Christmas card 2 – inside

Christmas card 2 – back

Christmas card 3 – front

Christmas card 3 – inside

Christmas card 3 – back

Christmas card 4 – front

Christmas card 4 – inside

Christmas card 4 – back

Christmas card 5 – front

Christmas card 5 – inside

Christmas card 5 – back

Christmas card 6 – front

Christmas card 6 – inside

Christmas card 6 – back

In going through old family ephemera I found this beautiful old Christmas card … and as it’s almost Christmas I’d share it now.

There’s no santa, no reindeer, no snowman, no tree or even ornaments on this card. It is simple and yet very elegant. And I know I’m right in saying “they sure don’t make ’em like they used to”.

This Christmas card (postcard) was sent to my great great grandma Phebe Randell (nee Robbins), at ‘Salem Glen’, Gumeracha

From time to time I do blog about something other than genealogy or history, and this is one of those times. And this is about Christmas. Which with it being only a week away is hardly surprising.

Anyway I’ve been getting into the Christmas mood, and as part of that I do love Christmas carols. Though trust me, I’m not one to put them on about 6 weeks before Christmas. About 1-2 weeks before is enough.  Fortunately I don’t work in a shopping centre where they do that, as seriously I would be “so over” carols that you just don’t want to hear them anymore.

Anyway I just wanted to share my new favourite Christmas carol with you.