Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-22
SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS.


tEe of powerful religious machine.
SENDING CHRISTMAS CARDS.
With the increase in popularity OF tho
picture postal card, the Christmas card
has also gained many friends. and It is
estimated that n million cards of this
nature Will be exchanged in America this
year. Some of the new Christmas cards
arc really works Of art, beautiful in
the extreme and delightful to look upon
The attraction of the Christmas card may
be ascribed IN this country to the popu-
larity Of the picture postal card on the
whole but they are by no means a new
( idea. The older countries have been send
ing Christmas cards for centuries and
even royalty mas been imbued With
tho novelty OF using the mails as
means Of convey ing good Will and
best wishes to their friends at Yuletide.
About 20 years ago this Christmas the
| hosts Of the late Queen Vctoria's friend,
received dainty little cards containing
the greetings Of her ma jesty. These cards.
dainty little examples Of art that they
were, We're designed and prepared by tho
late Raphael Tuck. The designs were first
submitted to her majesty, who, after
| hours of deiberation, selected the ones
| to be sent to her many friends. But
four years later Queen NiCtoria's idea
of remembering her friends at Christ
+ mas was decided upon as a very sem
sibe method of procedure, and the lnte
! King Edward adopted the method of his
mother. Now King George has also taken
up the idea, and mas already mailed
thousands OF Christmas cards to his in
innate friends
/ Since Victoria the idea of sending pos
tai cards has become custom with
royalty, and cards have been especially
designed for the Emperor of Germany,
the Car and Czarina of Russia, tho King
and Queen OF Italy and the King and
| Queen of Spain. King Manuel. in exil,
will also send thousands of postals to
his loyal friends in Portugal, although h.
is staying In England. Each year a sroup
Of carefully and artistically executed d..
signs are sent to each Of the above
mentioned rulers and in order that the
final one chosen in each case may be
somewhat representative of the personal
taste of the sovereign they arc sent In
plenty of time FOR the selection to be
| made.
| For example the Christmas card OF
the English sovereign last year had a
dignity which is symbolic OF the ma
tion. The card represents a scene In King
Arthurs court at the palace OF Camelot.
A large party of lords. knights and
ladies are gathered together to witness
the ceremony of King Arthur admitting
Sir Trlstram to the fellowship of the
| Round Table Str Lancelot is proml
ncnt figure in the picture, and his white
charger also has a place. The original
painting was done by a prominent Eng
fish artist, and critics claim the work
makes ono OF the prcttiest Christmas
cards that can be imagined.
The Christmas card OF the little Prince
Of Wales represented Alfred the Great
reading to his mother, Queen Osborga.
The German emperor's Christmas card
was also very appropriate. 1t represent
ed Henry VII embarking in Dover har-
Dor on his visit to Francis l of France,
the meeting that later became famous as
| The Field Of tho Cloth of Gold"
The young Queen OF Spain selected
a painting OF Madonna and Child. The
hair Of the madonna Is Of a flaxon variety
and the face is typlcally English. Tho
Spanish queen Is typical English girl
King and Queen Of Italy selected a
very appropriate Christmas card. 1t
represented n mother holding a child
close 10 her breast, and was painted In
worry light tones. Little angels, with
their wings tucked under their chlns,
lowered about the mother and child.
The King and Queen of Italy both pos
sess childlike simplicity, and this
rl.A 4 thnI, - ,Lrie
card last season. The Christmas card OF
Empress Alexandra of Russia had a
beautiful Russian woman as It's main
theme The dark haired Madonna was
shielding her child, at which she gazed
In alteration. The czarina is a woman OF
very refined tastes and her Christmas
card describes the profound depths OF
the unhappiness OF this imperial woman
Members of royalty, It is claimed. first
started the idea of sending Christmas
cards to their friends, Since that time the
Idea has been taken up in this country
with good result. In many cases II does
away with the sending OF expensive, use
less presents, that are forgotten within .
snort time by both the sender and re-
ceiver. Christmas card Is thing tina
can be saved, framed and treasured fol
years especially when the design Is +,
good one.
POSTAL authorities in Washington sa,
they nave made arrangements to han
! die large number of Christmas cards
'his year. but they give warning t.
sehders That tinsel and glass postals will
not DC sent farther than tho receivns
station. Makers of the tinsel and GROUND
glass postals have been warned tina
'iiis variety will not be accepted un
r wrapped by the postal authorities.
: specific for ~pain-Dr Thomas
o Eciecnc on, STRONGEST, cheapest lini
G. nsnt ever devised household rem
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