Evening star., 1949-11-20
@be 9unlor $tar
lust Between
Yourselves . .
-Bv PhiIip n. Love

My pet peeve at this time OF
year is Christmas cards decorated
with pictures Of dogs and cats.
Both these animals are fine IN
their place, but that place. in my
opinion, isn't on card supposed
to commemorate the birth OF
Jesus Christ.
I don't insist that every Christ
mas card be purely religious. But
I will argue until Santa Claus has
come and gone that a Christmas
card that isn't Christmassy might
just as we'll be sent on the Fourth
of July.
Although personally prefer
religious cards. I accept as Christ
massy any design that is I'M
mistakably suggestive of the Yule-
tide-snow scenes, holly wreati1s.
poinsettias, lighted candles. CAROL
ers, pine and cedar trees, Santa
with or without his sack, reindeer
and sled: in short, almost any.
thing but dogs and cats.
This being the Sunday before
Thanksgiving, I'm thankful to
be able to report that "the popu-
larity of religious Christmas cards
has reached an all-time peak"
according to the National Associa-
ton of Greeting Card Publishers.
"Holy Land scenes have come
to the fore in the 1949 Christmas
cards. surprising even winter
landscapes and holly and poin-
settia designs in popularity" the
association assures me. Ma.
donna and Child portraits, in soft
pastel hues. are a favorite SUBJ
ject."
Reproductions of religious paint
ings by the old masters also are
in heavy demand. BEST loved"
the association says. "are Ra-
phael's famed Madonna OF the
Chair and Holy Family With
Lamb and Murillo's Holy Mother
With Angels Almost as popu-
lar is Madonna Of the Stable"
by Berta Hummel, q Bavarian
nun who died in 1916 at the age
Of 81 after devoting her life to
painting children, angels ana
Bethlehem scenes.
The American Artists Group
also reports increased demand for
cards of the genuinely Christ
massy kind. including reproduc.
tions of famous religious paintings
by the old masters in the Ma
tional Gallery of Art as well as
the works of noted modern de-
signers and illustrators.
Publishers estimate that 1,600.-
100000 cards will be exchanged
by Americans this Christmas-an
average of 40 per family. More
than $4,000 different designs are
available, as compared with one
fifth that number in 1919, when
800, 900, 900 cards were sent.
Nearly half of this years designs
are addressed to specific persons
- friends, neighbors, teachers,
clergymen. as well as mother.
father and other members OF the
family. There's even a card Tor
the family dentist. hoping that
the only plate" needing atten-
ton on Christmas is one heaped
with turkey. Religious cards
were first published in 1875 In
Ireland. The first American cards
were published that same year IN
Boston. Social custom demanded
that they be delivered by uni
formed footmen using the family
coach. December Is was
established as Christmas by Pope
julius I in the 4th century.
Previously Christians had cele-
brated January g., April 10 and
May 20 as Christ's birthday. =.
st. Francis of Assist recreated the
Nativity scene in a tiny Italian
village in 1928, using a real stable
and live animals. The custom
spread throughout Europe.
In 1848 Londoners were fined for
neglecting to hang out q lighted
lanterne" at Christmastime. :.
Roast peacock, with head, feathers
and tail intact, was the main dish
at 18th century Yule banquets.
Christmas assumed its mod
ern form during the early 18th
century, when an Austrian priest
composed silent Night, Holy
Night" Charles Dickens wrote
Christmas Carol" and Prince
Albert introduced the Christmas
tree to England. -. Cards ad.
dressed to mother outsell all other
special title" Christmas greet
ings. And that. I think, is as 1t
~t, as,JI 1a