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Greeting cards have colorful, historic sources
Each year researchers come up with more and more
fascinating Information about the origins of Christinas
and New Year greetings.
Greeting cards are usually made of still paper or card
board, but cloth, vellum, leather, celluloid, metal, wood,
clay, cork, and new materials have been added to their
designs. Cards and their messages vary in slse. In 1929
an inscribed grain of rice was presented as a Christmas
greeting to the Prince of Wales, and in 1924, President
Calvin Coolidge received a Christmas card that measured
21 x 33 inches!
Ih ancient Egypt the New Year was celebrated by the
exchange of symbolic presents such as scent bottles and
scarabs Inscribed “an ab nab” ("all good luck”). The Ro
mans exchanged strenae, originally Branches of laurel or
olive, often coated with gold leaf. Symbols of seasonal
good will, such as a Roman lamp and the figure of Victory
surrounded by strenae, were combined on objects of baked
day, with the inscription "Anno Novo faustum felix tlbl
sit’ 1 (“May the New Year be happy and lucky for you”).
The acknowledgment of the New Year with the exchanges
of good will continued in Europe through the early days of
Christianity.
In the 15th century, master wood engravers produced
inscribed prints which had the same intent as the modern
Christmas and New Year cards. One of these shows the
Christ Child with halo, before a cross holding a scroll on
which appears "Ein gust sellg ior” (“A good and happy
year"). During the 18th and early 19th centuries, copper
{date engravers were producing prints and calendars for
the New Year and greetings by merchants and tradesmen
were common.
Recognized as the first Christmas card is one designed
in England by J. c. Horsley, in 1843 for his friend Bir
Henry Cole. An edition of 1,000 copies was placed on sale
at Felix Summerly’s Treasure House in London in 1846.
They were printed by lithography on stiff cardboard, in
dark sepia and hand colored. The design shows a family
party in progress, beneath which is the greeting, “A Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.”
A similar card was designed by W. M. Egley of London
and produced as an etching in 1848. While this card is
more elaborate, its design suggests a relationship to the
Cole-Horsley card. The same may be said of an American
Christmas card of the same period, designed by R. H.
Pease of Albany, N.Y., which bore the inscription, "Pease's
Great Variety Store in The Temple of Fancy.” Sentiment
cards were exchanged and collected in the united States
from 1830 to the Civil War and many have survived . . .
aboundaSa
gladness your days
this New Year, 0* 1
Our sincere thankSS
BANK of
» NORTH CAROLINA
r?: N.A. u»mb*Fotc
**Tis tli<- season lo be jolly, with
’* family ami dear friends together
agam. In harmony and good
1 North side Auto Parts
■ 11 -,,,„. ■ o ii 11' ■ ■—>—
among them an "expanding heart” Christmas present or
greeting card in purse form, dating from about 1859.
Today you can say Merry Christmas to Macedonian,
Greek, Hungarian. any nt n tamruasas nlus Braille.
There are greeting cards aypUable*m cnu polyglot nation
in Polish, Spanish, Japaneaejtomenlan. Croatian, Chinese,
Macedonian, Portuguese, oftek, Swedish, Norwegian.
Hungarian. Lithuanian, to name Just a few. Distributed
throughout the United States, many are produced in this
countoy, others come from abroad.
It was noted by one o t the manufacturers of these
Christmas cards, that whenever there is turmoil or a
revolution in a foreign country, the sales in that language
soar. Since type faces in some languages are unavSfiable,
many of the exotic messages are photographed from the
originals. In the case of some Chinese messages, a waiter
in a Chinese restaurant who is also an artist, wrote the
greetings on a piece of paper from which they were pho
tographed and reproduced.
iFelices Navldades! Froliche Welhnachtenl To you all!
SCENTED GIFT
Pomander balls make
beautiful gifts trimmed up
with velvet ribbons, lace
and pretty braid. Tie them
prettily from bits and pieces
you have tucked away in
your sewing box. Their fra
grance will last long after
the holidays are gone.
Christmas tree safety trimming
Look for this new Christ
mas tree trimming that has
just begun to appear in the
stores. A decorative rust
colored star that is actually
a battery-powered fire
alarm! This bright orna
ment sounds a loud buzzing
noise that warns of fire.
Tips for
the tree
The nicest Christmas
present you can give your
self and your family Is
an easy-to-take-care-of,
fresh and fragrant live
cut Christmas tree.
Be sure to start with a
fresh tree. When shopping
around, run these two
simple checks. First, bend
the needles on the tree;
if they are pliant, the tree
is fresh. Then, gently tap
the base of the tree against
the ground. A fresh tree
will hold its needles fast;
avoid one with cascading
needles!
When you get the tree
home, keep it outdoors, if
possible, until you’re ready
to set it up for decorating.
Immediately saw off about
one inch on the diagonal
from the tree trunk. This
eliminates clotted resins
that form at the base of
the tree which could block
it from absorbing water.
Place the tree in a buck
et of water mixed with
Prolongs Christmas Tree
Preserver the proper
ratio is one capful Prolong
to each cup (8 ounces) of
water. Prolong increases
the water absorption and
“feeds” the tree necessary
nutrients and carbohy
drates. Spray the tree with
water often.
Once brought inside for
decorating, the tree should
be placed away from heat
ers and out of traffic areas.
Secure it in a water-hold
ing stand and watch the
water-Prolong level care
fully. A tree may absorb
as much as a gallon of
water a day.
One idea that will fur
ther simplify the tree’s
day-to-day upkeep: try to
use unbreakable Christ
mas bulbs, at least around
the bottom of the tree. It
will reduce the incidence
of bulb breakage, prevent
the children from getting
scratched and keep the
sweeping chores to a mini
mum.
THE CHOWAN HERALD
CHRISTMAS WRAP
Aluminum foil makes any
gift special looking and is
especially marvelous for
wrapping those odd shaped
things that never seem to
fit into any box. Wrap and
tie withbrightly colored
yarn . . . several different
colors at the same time!
During the holiday season
many household fires start
from faulty wiring of tree
lights. This colorful star
could prove to be a real life
saver as well as a handsome
way to top your tree.
v-. P.ffr'' u/eu-, weti -
- ievvyii if t Ai*fr
Many people once consid
ered it bed luck to mention
the name* of a king.
Ith thanks
Davis Jewelers
• 41
iVlay our bright ujishes for a wonderful
holiday season decorate oil your days.
Byrum Implement
& Truck Co.
caf^
WilD
JoOjrSMtaMhMU*
We lead hearty Uuutks
to ipirUed frlcad*.
J^r? * fc. ' J
-*!fejtL'^tflifi^ilinil *•
Teresa's
Beauty Selon
CREATE PERSONAL GREETINGS
FOR CHRISTMAS
It’s no secret that you are
more identifiable by your
social security or credit card
number than by your own
name. As a result, you pay
taxes, bills, deposit and
withdraw money from the
bank using numbered forma,
which only employ your
name as a secondary means
of identification.
None of this could have
been possible without com
puter science, probably the
chief “science” that rules
your life today.
Luckily, most people take
this new way of life in their
stride. But since you are an
original, not a carbon copy,
there should be away to
maintain the unique differ
ence between you and the.
rest of the world.
One area that is especially
yours is the sentiment (the
love, friendship and emo
tion) you express.
At holiday time these sen
timents become particularly
important. But with the
hustle and bustle of the
Christmas season added to
your everyday chores, many
people tend to take the easy
way out. How? By buying
greeting cards imprinted
with impersonal messages
written by a professional
“poet.”
Most people take it for
granted that a stranger’s
words will wish friends and
relatives a happy holiday. It
doesn’t have to be that
way, if you buy cards that
are blank on the inside leaf.
They’re not hard to find.
What’s more you don’t
\ » • > "\j » fWMlijKii *c 1 hßfe .If <MK: 1
Jft# .ijK^
Edenton Shell
have to be a poet laureate to
write your own greeting.
The less your words sound
like a store-bought card, the
better. So here’s away to
get back to basics—to the
real meaning of Christmas.
And now for the me
chanics; since your message
will be handwritten, the
writing instrument you
choose becomes extremely
important. You may want
to buy a special pen, such as
one made by Pilot, which
comes with tips in different
widths.
Look for a pen which will
enhance your handwriting.
Most people seem to like a
very fine point such as the
Pilot Razor Point Marker
Pen, the most popular fine
point on the market today.
This marker’s smooth point
adds grace and an artistic
quality to your penmanship
and is perfectly suited for
your cards. If you prefer a
slightly thicker point, try
the Pilot Fineliner. Or you
may wish to create a feeling
of texture by using two
different tips.
Next choose a colored ink
that blends with your cards.
To coordinate colors, check
the Pilot display for an
attractive array of inks.
There’s red and green for
Christmas or choose from
other vibrant hues for more
artistic and less traditional
combinations.
Once you have decided on
the color scheme, you’re on
your way. Your message
will probably differ from
person to person, but that’s
what will make your greet
ing unique.
Pick Wick Restaurant
And Billards
" ...... . ; " ' ' !
TarkingtoiVs
Gi.risim.as Greetings
UJishing you everything you need to
j ClWstmos\mer|rioroble or><^
TVy*.1.........
CHRISTMAS
Parker - Evans
Hardware Co.
Thursday, December 24, 1981