259. Send Your Cards Early: NATIONAL BOOK STORE and ALEMAR’S Christmas Cards, 1966-1978

ALEMAR'S CHRISTMAS AD, 1978

The Christmas Card tradition began in the United Kingdom when Henry Cole and artist John Horsely designed the first card in 1843, and sold them for a shilling each. 

PRINTED CALLING CARDS with Christmas sentiments, 1910s-20s

The practice caught on and the Americans introduced holiday card sending in the first decade of the 20^th century However, the first  local cards were simply “tarjetas” or calling cards that featured the name of the sender and a simple one-line printed sentiment,

"REMEMBER YOUR FRIENDS ABROAD!", NBS X'mas Cards Ad, 1966

The first illustrated Christmas cards were imported and sold in bazaars and stationary shops in Manila. It was after the war that the practice of sending cards took off, as they became more available.

 

NATIONAL BOOK STORE CHRISTMAS CARDS, :Mura, Maganda,Kapuri-puri",  1966 Ad

In the 60s NATIONAL BOOK STORE (NBS)  and ALEMAR’s were the leading sellers of cards, especially of Christmas Cards. NBS started its own line of Christmas cards, and the most popular were those that carry native themes and scenic and historical spots like churches, mountains, waterfalls and historical buildings. It was only in 1974 that NBS got the Hallmark Card license, which led to the burgeoning of the greeting card business.

ALEMAR’s commercially printed cards under its own name, but it also carried Gibson Christmas cards that were popular I the 70s.

Today, the custom of mailing Christmas Cards is fast fading. Quickly taking their place are online greeting cards  that are animated or scored with music, are deemed more engaging and easier to send with just a click of a computer key—no need to go to the post office.  

 

ALEMAR'S GIBSON CARDS, 1975 Print Ad

On this spread are the seasonal ads ran by NBS and ALEMAR’s promoting their line of holiday greeting cards, to remind us of the days when sending Christmas Cards was the most thoughtful, tangible way to greet a loved one—with a pretty card that one can actually touch, read and re-reread again, and keep, as a reminder that “no one throws away memories”.