The custom of sending Christmas cards originated in England during the Victorian era. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole asked John Calcott Horsley to create a holiday card. These cheerful greeting cards were brought to America from England until 1874, when Louis Prang, a printer from Germany, made the first cards in the U.S. Designs in the 19th century varied from images of Christmas trees and Nativity scenes to cards shaped like bells and candles, often embellished with silk and satin. By the early 1900s, sending Christmas cards had become a beloved tradition in both Britain and the United States. In 1915, Christmas cards changed significantly when a company that later became Hallmark introduced book-style cards. These cards featured an image on the front and a greeting, were folded once, and placed inside an envelope. This new design quickly surpassed the postcard style and has since become the norm.

People often know about The Miracle on 34th Street during Christmas, but have you heard about the events on Fifth Avenue? It Happened on Fifth Avenue is a special holiday movie from 1947 that I've grown to love over the last ten years. I discovered it while watching it on the Turner Classics Movie Channel, and now I look forward to seeing it every Christmas season when it comes on. While it's not as famous as other Christmas movies, this film has an interesting link to one of the most popular holiday films ever created. The Plot: In the bustling heart of Manhattan, amidst the towering skyscrapers and streets filled with life, stands a grand mansion on Fifth Avenue owned by the  “industrial wizard” and the 2nd richest man in the world, the fastidious Michael O’Conner, portrayed comically by Charles Ruggles. Each winter, when O'Conner escapes to his other luxurious residences, the mansion becomes a whimsical refuge for Aloysius T. McKeever, a character animatedly brought to ...