Have you ever sent or received a Christmas card? These colourful cards are one of the best ways to spread Christmas cheer. But do you know how this fun tradition started or what makes it so special? Let’s dive into the magical world of Christmas cards with these 10 amazing facts!

1. The first Christmas card was made almost 200 years ago.

The very first Christmas card was sent in 1843 by a man named Sir Henry Cole in England.

It was designed by an artist named John Callcott Horsley and showed a family celebrating together.

Only 1,000 cards were made, and they are now super rare and valuable!

2. Christmas cards were once super expensive.

When Christmas cards first became popular, only rich people could afford to send them.

That’s because printing was very expensive back then.

Over time, new machines made it cheaper to print cards, so now everyone can enjoy sending and receiving them!

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3. The world’s smallest Christmas card was tiny enough to get lost!

In 2017, scientists in the UK made the smallest Christmas card ever – it was so tiny that it could fit on the tip of a human hair!

The card was made with a special machine that used tiny atomic particles to write a festive message inside.

It was so small that when they tried to take a picture of it with an electron microscope, the card accidentally bounced off the stand and got lost inside the machine!

4. Queen Elizabeth II sent thousands of Christmas cards.

Every year, Queen Elizabeth II sent out around 750 Christmas cards to friends, family, and even world leaders.

She started the tradition as a young princess and kept it going her whole life!

5. The most expensive Christmas card sold for over £20,000.

One of the very first Christmas cards ever made was sold for over £20,000!

It was one of Sir Henry Cole’s original cards from 1843.

Imagine having a Christmas card that’s worth more than a car!

6. In the UK, people send millions of Christmas cards every year.

Each Christmas, people in the UK send around 900 million Christmas cards!

That’s enough cards to stretch from London to the North Pole and back more than five times.

6. A Christmas card once took 60 years to arrive.

A Christmas card sent from England to a family in South Wales went missing in the mail and finally arrived 60 years later!

The family couldn’t believe the surprise delivery after so many decades.

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8. People used to decorate their Christmas trees with cards.

Before there were shiny baubles and fairy lights, people would hang their Christmas cards on their trees as decorations!

It was a fun way to show off the cards they received from family and friends.

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9. You can make your own Christmas cards.

Some of the best Christmas cards are the ones you make yourself!

With paper, pens, glitter, and stickers, you can create a card that’s way more special than one from a store.

Plus, handmade cards are a great way to show someone you care.

10. The first Christmas in space was in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission.

Astronauts celebrate Christmas even when they’re far away from home in space! The first Christmas in space was in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission.

The astronauts revealed that they saw Santa when they were up there!

Now, astronauts on the International Space Station celebrate Christmas every year. They decorate with stockings, enjoy special meals, send holiday messages back to Earth and open cards. Sometimes, they even do spacewalks on Christmas Day, making it a truly out-of-this-world celebration.

Create your own!

Why not make your own Christmas card this year? Whether you use craft supplies or create a digital one, it’s a great way to show someone you’re thinking of them. Who will you send your card to?

Christmas cards are more than just paper, they’re a way to spread kindness and joy. So next time you send or get a card, remember how this wonderful tradition has been bringing people together for nearly 200 years!