The art of artistic Christmas card design has long since faded, but quite a few cards from the early 1900s are worth looking at because the appearance of the cards has an intrinsic beauty, making these vintage designs some of the most attractive in existence.
I have always been a big fan of Christmas cards, especially vintage ones. I remember when I was much younger, I would stare at a vintage Christmas card for minutes in awe of the classic designs.
In the days before ecards, snail mail was a popular method of sending greetings during the Christmas season. All those cards still exist and you can find a large selection of them on Etsy.
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Normal Vintage Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards have certainly changed over the years. While we certainly still love to send and receive beautiful cards, it is so much more than that. People do a lot of research and stay up-to-date with this season’s trends. Here’s a look back at vintage Christmas Cards from the early 1900s through today.
All the cards listed date from the 1900s and are vintage cards for Christmas that have a normal look without anything creepy attached. Check them out. I am certain you would fall in love.
1. Santa’s Truck Vintage Christmas Card
Send this to your senior colleague, friend, or family member that has lived many years on earth and they would be grateful to you. The front of this vintage Christmas card portrays Santa’s truck with a couple of gifts beside the truck. Although Santa cannot be seen in this picture, we can assume he is busy gathering more gifts.
With this package, you get 12 of the same cards to send to 12 special people during the holidays. There’s also a fair amount of space to pen down words.
2. Hallmark Boxed Classic Christmas Card
Here’s another classic-looking card from way back. This hallmark boxed vintage Christmas card features Santa carrying a huge bag of gifts and ready to dispatch some gifts to a worthy home. The card also has a green border that is accented with gold foil and some glitter. The feel of this Christmas card is lovely and it also looks amazing.
3. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
A rare graphical representation of a vintage Christmas card featuring Santa Claus with a bag of gifts and trying to control a dachshund breed. This vintage card would be quite popular in the 60s through the 80s as they had lots of great designers at the time who weren’t scared to bring their ideas to life on a sheet of paper.
4. Season’s Greetings
Not all Vintage Christmas cards from way back have Santa Claus or a reindeer on them. Some designers wanted to be different and thus birthday this amazing card with a cat placing his hands on a gift box. For some families, cats are a big part of Christmas. This vintage card dates back to 1939.
5. 1940s Christmas Greeting Cards Package
A package is the best thing when it comes to Christmas Vintage Cards, this is because you will be getting a couple of different cards. In this case, four vintage Christmas Cards will be given to you. Three cards have envelopes and are postmarked from the 1940s. One card is from Continental Oil Company and has a Christmas Victorian scene on the front.
6. 1951 Gibson Christmas Card
This is a 1951 Gibson advertisement. It measures 9.5 inches by 14 inches and is in excellent condition. It would make a great gift for yourself or someone special. This is one Christmas card that most people would love.
7. 3D Pop-Up Vintage Christmas Card
Here’s a classic 34 Pop-up vintage card for Christmas. How does it work? Well, just like any other card, you’ll have to open it, and when you do, it will reveal a couple of 3D pictures. The concept is pretty amazing and many people loved it back in the day.
8. 1940s Funny Christmas Card
Have you ever seen a funny vintage Christmas card? Well, you are staring at one, wait until you see what is inside. This is rare but gold. Turns out people of the old days had an amazing sense of humor too.
9. A Merry Christmas
These are the kind of cards that have you staring at them for more than a minute in awe of the images. Everything about this card is retro and I love it completely. If this brings back sweet old memories, then you are definitely on the right page.houseofhawthornes.com
10. Vintage Christmas Card 1940s
Another cute Vintage Christmas Card from the old days. It depicts a little blonde girl in a pink dress lighting candles on the Christmas tree. Very simple but yet retro! The text on the front reads, ” Hello! Merry Christmas.”
Victorian Era Creepy Christmas Cards
The 18th century was a wonderful time for some people, but not so great for others. Creepy Christmas cards did exist in the Georgian era, but it wasn’t until the Victorian era that artists had no problem sending chills down your spine with their festive images.
Christmas cards are nice reminders of the winter holiday season. But these are not your normal happy greetings. Victorian-era Christmas cards are the creepiest you will find anywhere! We have put together a few of these creepy Christmas cards for your viewing pleasure.
11. Wishing You A Jolly Christmas
I would like to think of that as a water jug that is being used to pour water on innocent musicians that just want to have a good time singing Christmas Carols. Although this is creepy, it sure was popular and very normal in the Victorian era.
12. Here’s A Crow For Christmas
This card dates back to the Victorian era. This era was known to have a lot of creepy-looking vintage Christmas cards. This one, in particular, depicts humans on what appears to be a sleigh, this would not be creepy without the humans having fowl heads. It is creepy but very vintage. In fact, this was the norm during the Victorian era, and I have seen worse.tuckd
13. A Happy Christmas
There’s absolutely nothing happy about a Grizzly bear about to devour what looks to be a human, but tell that to the people of the Victorian era who thought it was a good idea to send this as a Christmas card.
14. A Merry Christmas To You
Do not allow your kids to see this. I mean, describing this is almost impossible, it looks very much like a human walking inside what appears to be a giant turnip? This has to be one of the creepiest vintage Christmas Cards I have seen.Alamy
15. May Christmas Be Merry
The Victorians didn’t give very cheerful Christmas cards. Huge insects dancing at the beach isn’t something that’ll ever be part of our modern Christmas cards but I guess the Victorians loved it.Hyperallergic
16. Compliments Of The Season
The bottle of “Jovial Xmas” is quite amazing, but looking at the creepy clown eating a pie isn’t something your kids would want to see on Christmas Eve.
17. May Yours Be A Joyful Christmas
I am still trying to understand what connection a dead bird has with having a joyful Christmas. I think this is way too creepy, however, I have had a couple of friends say it is not so bad. What do you think?
18. Waiting To Greet You
Would you feel safe if someone sends this creepy Christmas card to you? Well, sending cards like this wouldn’t scare anyone in the Victorian era, however, doing so now might not be a good idea, or would it?
19. Twenty-Fifth Of December
I have never thought about Santa as a robber, but I guess the creator of this card had a different picture in his head. This creepy vintage Christmas card portrays Santa doing some dirty business.
20. Wishing You A Happy Christmas
There’s nothing happy about a couple of villagers chasing someone with different weapons. Also, why does the head look that black and creepy?
Rare Vintage Christmas Cards
Okay, we are done with the scary part of this article, and hopefully, we won’t have to check them out again. The Victorians had little or no issues with most of those creepy Christmas cards but I definitely do. Please don’t send that to me!
Moving on, there are also rare vintage Christmas cards, the kind that can be found in special stores. I have done some digging and found 10 very rare Vintage Christmas cards that you might love.
21. Vintage Christmas Card Aluminum Print
The feel of this vintage Christmas Card is awesome. I mean, while other cards have a flat surface, this one sort of feels like a 2D image when held in your hands. However, it is vintage and also rare.
22. Vintage Embossed Christmas Card
A Vintage Embossed Christmas Card will surely bring the holiday spirit to the table! Everyone deserves to decorate their home in style, especially during the holidays. The Vintage Embossed Christmas Card is an extra touch that you can add to your table this year!
23. Rare Vintage 1930’s Christmas Card
This antique card is used and dates back to the 1930s. It is RARE. It has an autograph inscribed inside. It measures approximately 11 x 8.5 centimeters. It is in great antique condition.
24. Beautiful Angel Christmas Card
This isn’t one of those antique Christmas cards you would easily come across, it is rare and of high value. If you have this at home, you’d want to hold on to it a bit longer as the value might appreciate with time.
25. O Christmas Tree Dog In Fiat
If you love dogs, this holiday card is for you! It features a festive pooch driving a classic Fiat with a Christmas tree hanging at the top.
26. Rare Antique Embossed Christmas Card
Yet another rare antique Christmas card. This incredible antique Christmas card will be the envy of all your friends and family when you pass it around at your next holiday gathering.
27. To Mum And Dad At Christmas
This card is a stunning example of a vintage Christmas card. It has a very traditional design and a bright red robin. It is from the 1980s.
28. Vintage Christmas Greeting Card
A vintage card that would add a nice touch to any collection. If you have this, you might want to hold on to it because it is rare and might cost a fortune later.
29. Special Cousin
A stunning vintage Christmas card from the 1980s with a red poinsettia and holly design, as well as an embossed red background.
30. Rare Antique Lightly Embossed Card
The picture shows a beautiful angel in a pink dress next to a decorated tree with candles. The tree is lit with candles and the Christmas star shines over it.
31. With Love, Daughter
This card has a cute little ice-skating girl surrounded by sweet little animals and glitter on the trees and in the snow.
32. Merry Christmas Postcard
This rare postcard shows children sledding. It is quite rare and dates back to the 70s.gibsonbooks.com
33. Santa Claus Postcard
“With Christmas wishes kind and true, that all life’s blessings come to you” This rare antique Christmas features Santa Claus holding his bag of gifts.