![Vintage Easter Card. unknown (unknown cultural designation). A Joyful Easter. 1910.](https://www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/designation-AJoyfulEaster-1910.jpg)
The Victorians loved corresponding by mail and the advent of the uniform one penny postage rate in January 1840 made it a very economical way of staying in touch with loved ones, no matter where they lived in the country. During the latter half of the 19th century, publishers began designing writing stationery with festive images and Easter greetings. Before long, it was the fashion to exchange brightly coloured Easter cards. These could be bought quite cheaply but many preferred to make their own Victorian Easter cards with spiritual images such as lambs and crosses or bunnies and eggs on brightly colored paper all to emphasise the happy and lively nature of spring. 1
![Vintage Easter Card. Gibson Art Company (Cincinnati). Happy Easter. 1920.](https://i1.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Cincinnati-HappyEaster-1920.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. The Fairman Company. Best Easter Wishes.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Company-BestEasterWishes.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Owen Card Publishing Company. Easter and Friendship. 1918.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Company-EasterFriendship-1918.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. The Fairman Company. Easter Joy. 1919.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Company-EasterJoy-1919.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. International Art Publishing Company. Fond Easter Greeting. 1916.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Company-FondEasterGreeting-1916.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. unknown (unknown cultural designation). A Joyful Easter. 1910.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/designation-AJoyfulEaster-1910.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. unknown German (German cultural designation). A Peaceful Easter.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/designation-APeacefulEaster-.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Greeting. 1920.](https://i1.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterGreeting-1920.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Greeting.](https://i1.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterGreeting.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Greetings. 1914.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterGreetings-1914.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Greetings. chromolithography, 1917.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterGreetings-1917.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Greetings.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterGreetings.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Easter Tide.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EasterTide.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Davidson Brothers (Germany). Easter Wishes. 1910.](https://i1.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Germany-EasterWishes-1910.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. God Give Thee Easter Sunshine. 1915.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GodgiveThee-1915.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Joy for Easter.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JoyEaster.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. May Every Easter Joy Be Yours. 1919.](https://i0.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MayEveryEaster-1919.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Midland Publishing Co. (NY). Easter Greetings. 1913.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NY-EasterGreetings-1913.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. C.R. Gibson (NY). Easter Joys. 1912.](https://i1.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NY-EasterJoys-1912.jpg?ssl=1)
![Vintage Easter Card. Owen Card PublishingCompany (Elmira, NY). Easter Blessings. Easter Bells. 1919.](https://i2.wp.com/www.gardencourtantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Owen-Card-Publishing-Company-Elmira-EasterBlessings-1919.jpg?ssl=1)
Today, Easter is the fourth most popular greeting card holiday, behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mothers’ Day.
^jh
Further readings and sources:
- Excerpted from “Victorian History: 10 Victorian Easter traditions you should try”, Victorian Homes, https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/victorian-homes/victorian-easter-celebrations/
Easter Card images: Rhode Island School of Design. ↩