Back in the winter of 1843 Henry Cole, a civil servant, watercolour artist and inventor, was faced with a mountain of pre-Christmas correspondence ... The end result was a jolly, fun Christmas card ...

Christmas cards and thank you notes sent by Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, Princess of Wales were among a collection of royal memorabilia which has sold for more than £12,000 at auction.

My research shows that these printed seasonal greetings borrowed from the customs of the past to move Christmas into a new age. Annual sales and circulation of Christmas cards have been in decline ...

Even so, annual sales and circulation of printed Christmas cards in the U.K. have been in decline since the 1990s, coinciding with the advent of the internet era. Throughout the 20th century ...

Take, for example, the humble Christmas card. My research shows that these printed seasonal greetings borrowed from the customs of the past to move Christmas into a new age. Annual sales and ...