Christmas cards have been around since the eighteen hundreds. They have been a boon to stationary manufacturers. The first acknowledged Christmas card has a family, including small children, drinking wine. This was considered controversial. Which is perfectly understandable. Nothing worse than a child working ten hours a day in a garment factory coming home and boozing. At the end of the twentieth century portrait studios realized that the family Christmas photo could be turned into a Christmas card. People everywhere were thrilled to receive that photo of your family dressed in matching holiday sweaters, poising awkwardly and smiling like serial killers. Nowadays, with the advent of digital cameras and color printers, you can create your own card. Families everywhere do this with varying degrees of success. Maybe everybody should take their cue from the first Christmas card. A simple gathering of family and a good stiff drink.
Olympia (Age 14): "I'm getting my camera and we're taking Christmas card pictures."
Dad: "I don't think so. Your mother doesn't believe in wasting stamps."
Olympia: "Look at all the cards we've gotten already this year. We are way cuter than most of these families."
Dad: "I don't think a Christmas card is a best looking contest."
Olympia: "Haven't you learned anything? Everything is a best looking contest. Now put down your wine and change into nice clothes. On second thought you take the camera."
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