The first item given that resembled our classic Christmas Card was received in 1611 by King James I of England. The tradition of sending each other holiday wishes via decorated cards really took off in the Victorian era and continued strong through the ‘30s, ‘40s, & ‘50s. The tradition began to shift and change as tech took over “snail” mail. It is, however, still a lovely way of spreading Christmas cheer, especially with some of these old designs that have already enjoyed many holiday seasons.
Here are some great vintage Christmas cards to inspire your holiday cheer:
I) 1930s Christmas cards
1. Carrington Co. Art Deco Revelry
Period: 1920s or 30s
Size: 6.5”W x 4”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $16
2. Art Deco Embossed Winter Scene
Period: 1930s
Size: 5.5”W x 4.25”H
Condition: Lightly used, no envelope
Price: $5
3. English Hills Brand Snowmen
Period: 1930s-40s
Size: 3.8”W x 5”H
Condition: Unused with replacement envelope
Price: $6.44
4. Lot of 10 Holiday Greeting Cards
Period: 1930s
Size: n/a
Condition: Mix of used and unused cards without envelopes
Price: $6
5. Lot of 10 Christmas Cards
Period: 1920s-40s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelopes
Price: $10
6. Photo Frame Christmas Cards, set of 4
Period: 1930s-40s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $11.50
II) 1940s Christmas cards
1. Sharp as a Wet Cornflake Humor
Period: 1940s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $4.50
2. Christmas Card Chore Humor
Period: 1940s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $10
3. Blue Christmas Cards, set of 4
Period: 1940s
Size: n/a
Condition: Most likely used, no envelopes
Price: $6
4. Pack of 6 Glitter Cards
Period: 1940s
Size: 2.5”W x 3.5”H
Condition: Unused, no envelopes
Price: $19
5. Lot of 14 Christmas Cards
Period: 1940s-50s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelope
Price: $10
III) 1950s Christmas cards
1. Norcross Kitten in Santa’s Hat
Period: 1950s
Size: 3.25”W x 4.25”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $12
2. Pop-Up Holiday Lamb
Period: 1950s
Size: 6” x 5”
Condition: Unused, with envelope (never assembled)
Price: $12
3. Sunshine Brand Santa Girl
Period: 1950s
Size: 3.5”W x 5.5”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $4.50
4. Japanese Art Christmas Cards, set of 3
Period: 1950s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $18
5. Lot of 3 Long Holiday Cards
Period: 1950s
Size: 3.25”W x 7”H
Condition: Unused, no envelopes
Price: $10
6. Children’s Cards Box Set w/ 5 cards
Period: 1950s
Size: 3.75”W x 6”H cards in 8.75”W x 6.75”H box
Condition: Unused, only three envelopes
Price: $18
7. Ann Adamas Mouth-Drawn Cards Box Set
Period: 1950s
Size: 4”W x 6.375”H cards in 4.5”W x 6.75”H x 0.625”D box
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $14
IV) 1960s Christmas cards
1. Snowman in Snowy Forest
Period: 1960s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $6.50
2. 3 USA Craft Graphics Holiday Cards
Period: 1960s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelopes
Price: $9
3. Snowy Paradise by Tyrus Wong, Set of 8 cards
Period: c. 1960
Size: 5”W x 7”H
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $22
4. Collection of 25 Fravessi-Lamont & Ernest O’Manville Brand Cards
Period: 1960s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, no original envelopes but may be matched with envelopes
Price: $22
5. Signed From Donald, 31 Used Christmas Cards
Period: 1960s-70s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelopes
Price: $20
6. Mix of 40 Used Cards
Period: 1960s-70s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelope
Price: $10
V) Victorian Christmas cards
1. Forget-Me-Nots Holiday Greetings
Period: 1880s
Size: n/a
Condition: Lightly used, no envelopes
Price: $15
2. German Birds & Holly
Period: 1909
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelope
Price: $4
3. Best of Christmas Joys Postcard
Period: 1910
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelope
Price: $5
4. American Colortype Farmhouse w/ Gothic Typography
Period: 1910s
Size: 3.5”W x 5.25”H
Condition: Lightly used, with envelope
Price: $12.50
5. Misch & Co. Postcard
Period: 1910s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelope
Price: $4.29
6. Lot of 12 Posted Christmas Postcards
Period: 1915-16
Size: n/a
Condition: n/a
Price: $14
7. A Joyful Christmas Postcard
Period: 1920s
Size: n/a
Condition: Lightly used, no envelope
Price: $4.50
8. 1950s Victorian Designs, lot of 17 cards
Period: 1950s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, no envelopes
Price: $30
9. Victorian Fan Card Reproduction
Period: 1978
Size: 12.25”W x 7”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $23
10. Victorian-Style Santa Claus
Period: 1980s
Size: 5.5”W x 7.75”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $3.50
VI) Vintage Christmas cards with glitter
1. Ice Skating & Holly
Period: 1900s
Size: n/a
Condition: Lightly used, no envelope
Price: $9
2. German Kruger Choir Boy
Period: 1950s
Size: 4.25”W x 5”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $16
3. Ice-Skating Girl
Period: 1950s
Size: 3”W x 6”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $4.50
4. Christmas Lantern
Period: 1950s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $5
5. Red Church & Houses Snow Card
Period: 1950s
Size: 8”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $9
6. Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick
Period: 1950s
Size: 4”W x 6”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $3
7. Glittering Lamppost
Period: 1950s
Size: 4.5”W x 5.5”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $5
8. ALMA German Glitter Card, No. 15
Period: 1950s
Size: 4”W x 6”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $11
VII) Retro Christmas cards
1. Lot of 1920s Holiday Cards
Period: 1920s
Size: n/a
Condition: Used, no envelopes
Price: $14
2. Lot of 15 Mid-Century Modern Style Cards
Period: 1970s
Size: n/a
Condition: Most used, no envelopes
Price: $11
3. Christmas Tree with Pink Roses
Period: 1970s
Size: 5”W x 7”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $3.75
4. Baby Partridge with a Pear (Tree)
Period: 1970s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $2.95
5. Ice Skating Before the Christmas Tree
Period: 1970s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $5
6. Louis Wain Sledging Cats, 5 cards
Period: 1990s
Size: 4.5”W x 6.5”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $8.57
7. Museum Masterpieces Old World Angel, 20 cards
Period: 1990s
Size: 4.5”W x 6.75”H
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $20
8. Poinsettia Hankie Doll
Period: Pre-2000
Size: 4.5”W x 11”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $11
9. PopShots 3D North Pole
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $7
10. 4 Retro Cards Lot
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, no envelopes
Price: $12
11. Coastal Christmas, Set of 16 cards
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $10
12. Tropical Santa, Set of 16 cards
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $10
13. Lot of 40 Christmas Cards
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, may or may not have envelope
Price: $28
VIII) Vintage religious Christmas cards
1. Angel Girls with Baby Jesus
Period: 1950s
Size: 6”W x 4”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $8
2. Barker Cards Mary & Infant
Period: 1950s
Size: 3.75”W x 7.75”H
Condition: Lightly used, no envelope
Price: $12
3. 21 Bethlehem Story Cards
Period: 1960s
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelopes
Price: $10
4. Nativity Birdhouse
Period: 1960s
Size: 3.5”W x 7.25”H
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $3.75
5. Sacred Hearts Southern Mission Set of 12 cards
Period: 1970s
Size: 4”W x 6.25”H
Condition: Unused, no envelopes
Price: $20
6. Hallmark Crown Line Angel
Period: 1980s
Size: 5.5”W x 8”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $3.75
7. Sulamith Wulfing’s The Christmas Angel
Period: Pre-2000
Size: 4”W x 6”H
Condition: n/a
Price: $8.50
8. Nativity Story Card
Period: Pre-2000
Size: n/a
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $2
IX) Vintage Christmas card ornaments
1. Die-cut Christmas Bells Card-Hanger
Period: 1940s
Size: 5” x 4.25”
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $14
2. Die-cut Santa Card-Hanger
Period: 1940s
Size: 4”W x 6.25”H
Condition: Unused, no envelope
Price: $18
3. Reindeer Games 23 Die-cut Cards
Period: 1950s
Size: n/a
Condition: n/a
Price: $6.50
4. Hand-Crafted Christmas Card Bowl
Period: 1950s
Size: 9.5”W x 3.5”H
Condition: A bit worn, but in good vintage condition
Price: $27
5. 3D Holiday Fireplace Card
Period: 1980s
Size: 4.25”W x 5.75”H x 2.5”D (popped up)
Condition: Writing on tag, no envelope
Price: $12
6. Santa’s Honeycomb Sled
Period: 1990s
Size: 5.5”H x 7” diameter
Condition: Unused, with envelope
Price: $20
7. Victorian Holiday Postcards Garland
Period: Pre-2000
Size: 4.5 ft long
Condition: n/a
Price: $8.27
