The first commercially produced Christmas card sold in the United Kingdom in 1843. It was commissioned by civil servant Sir Henry Cole and designed by artist John Callcott Horsley in London.
The card showed three generations of a family raising a toast, flanked by scenes depicting food and clothing being given to poor people. Its design combined seasonal goodwill with a fashionable Victorian interest in printed imagery. Cole was also connected with the development of the Penny Post, which made sending cards more practical and affordable.
Two batches totaling 2,050 cards were printed, and each sold for one shilling. The custom expanded as printing technology improved, eventually becoming a major stationery business. Early cards did not always feature snow, Christmas trees, or religious scenes; flowers, fairies, animals, children, and springlike imagery were also popular.
The date can be confused with earlier handmade greetings. A Christmas-themed card was sent as early as 1611, but 1843 marks the first widely recognized commercially available Christmas card.