Crafts by Carolyn - Seasonal Facts

Christmas
Christmas Cards Did you know there are several theories where the first Christmas card originated? The first, which is supposed to be the most likely, was by a man called Sir Henry Cole. It had a main picture of a family brimming with good cheer, and two smaller ones either side that were depicting charitable acts. Sir Henry was the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In November 1843 there was an entry made in his diary, stating that John Horsley brought the designs for the Christmas card. He sold them through a shop in Bond Street. The second, W C T Dobson in 1844 he sent a friend a sketch of 'the spirit of Christmas'. The following year he had it lithographed and sent to all his friends, these were never sold. The third, William Maw Egley, a similar design as the first one but historians think that this was later than the first. Finally, a vicar from Newcastle, the Reverend Edward Bradley, he had a card made for circulation amongst his friends. Most of the cards were hand finished with colours. Although it seems that it was 1843 that the tradition started it did not really catch on until 10 years later, which also coincided with cheaper postage rates being introduced. Valentine cards had been around for a while before, and once the Christmas card was introduced they often featured the same design. Things have gone from strength to strength we now send more Christmas cards per head of population than any other nation, over 2 billion cards are sold each year.
	More Christmas Facts Did you know that Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer was 'invented' in 1939 by Robert May, who worked in advertising in the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. He wrote a poem about one of Santa's deer with an illuminated red nose who helped his master find his way from Chimney to chimney. The suggested name of Rollo for his leading deer, was rejected. Next thought was Reginald!...finally Rudolph was suggested. In that first Christmas every child who visited the store's resident Santa received a booklet of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer'. More than 2.4 million copies were given away free. He was not included in "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore, the original reindeer in The poem were Dasher Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen! Here is the poem
Here are a few more Christmas facts...maybe not inspiring - but interesting: The Queen's Christmas speech was televised for the first time in 1957 Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. Apparently his assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882. But it took quite a few years before they would be made available to everyone. If you added up all of the gifts given in the song 12 days of Christmas they amount to 364! Tom Smith invented Christmas crackers. He started his working life in a confectioners and the wrapping of sweets 'bon bon' started his idea. He added gifts and a motto and it was the crackle of a log that gave him another flash of inspiration to add the 'snap'.