Hello once again you lovely blog readers. Well what can I say about Christmas card making, and why do we send cards at Christmas? The practice of sending Christmas cards began in Britain during the early 1840s, although the custom began in America some 20 years previously. The development of Christmas cards coincided with the development of the railway system and the penny post. Cards in unsealed envelopes cost less than a penny to post and proved very popular with early Victorian society that was beginning to enjoy the benefits of cheap rail travel and an efficient cheap postal service. The red post boxes in Britain began to appear in the early 1850’s and if you look at then you can see the monarch’s initials. There is one Victorian post box somewhere in Clifton, but around the BISC area there are some post boxes bearing the initials of Edward VIII (1902-10) George V (1910-1935) George VI (1937-52) as well as those from the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Near where Dr Chill hangs out is a very rare post box erected in 1936 with Edward VIII crest on it. Edward VIII was never crowned as he abdicated after 10 months.
So Christmas cards developed with the cycle of the white heat technology of the 19th century. The Victorian post and telegraph system was perhaps the first form of email!
At BISC a happy bunch of about 20 sat down in the lounge making their own Christmas cards. I met a Russian lady who considered it most enjoyable and creative, and all this was organised by the Christian Union of Bristol University. The afternoon did in true BISC fashion include food, food and food. There was the traditional mince pies, cakes and something salty to break all the sweet – all very delicious with hot and cold drinks to keep us going. A BIG BIG thank you to the Christian Union for all they did to make this a most enjoyable afternoon.
Well that is another history lesson from Dr Chill folks. Keep rocking and rolling my lovelies until the next blog on the traditional Christmas dinner.
