Sending Cheers Through the Years

For more than a century, Christmas cards have captured the spirit of the season, spreading joy, gratitude, and goodwill from one household to another. From hand-tinted Edwardian prints to mid-century photo greetings and nostalgic local scenes, each card tells a story of its time. These keepsakes reveal how design, printing, and sentiment evolved alongside the growth of Mississauga communities. Despite the changing styles and technologies, the greeting card industry experienced its message remained enduringly the same. To celebrate the connection, kindness, and the comfort of the holidays. Within these cards are festive wishes and cherished glimpses of the people and traditions that shaped our holiday memories.

Happy May the New year Be

Girl with Parasol (c.1896)

Printed in rich pastels and embossed with delicate detail, this late Victorian card captures the sentimentality and moral tone of the era. The young girl and poetic verse reflect an age of refinement when sending cards symbolized both courtesy and affection. Early Examples like this were often imported from Europe and prized as small works of art.

Style: Chromolithograph/Victorian Sentimental

Best Wishes

Winter Village Scene (C.1910)

A delicate embossed card showing snow-covered cottages beside a quiet stream. Gilded lettering and textured paper reflect the fine craftsmanship of early Christmas printing. Cards like this were often exchanged between close friends and kept in albums as treasured mementos of peace and prosperity in the new century.

Style: Edwardian Embossed Elegance

Horse-Drawn Carriage Scene

Village in Snow (c.1927)

Stylized and printed in limited red, black, and turquoise tones, this card embodies the early Art Deco influence in holiday design. Simplified lines and strong contrast mirror trends in poster art of the late 1920s. Its nostalgic winter setting evoked comfort and continuity amid changing modern times.

Style: Graphic Deco Simplicity

Sincere Greetings

Art Deco Sleigh Figure ( c. 1927)

With bright inks and playful typography, this lively design captures the colorful energy of early twentieth-century card art. The figure in a sleigh illustrates the body style of the late 1920s, when designers began experimenting with humor and modern lettering. Such cards carried lighthearted cheer and reflected the growing influence of Art Deco aesthetics.

Style: Art Deco Modernism

Family Photo Greeting

Greeting and Best Wishes (c. 1947)

Post-war prosperity made family photography more accessible, inspiring a new wave of personalized cards. This example, signed by the Guenther family, combines sepia printing and elegant gold script. Photo cards like this marked a turning point toward intimate, self-expressive holiday correspondence that emphasized home and togetherness.

Style: photographic Modernity.

Messages that Endure

From delicate embossed keepsakes to family photo greetings and heritage-inspired prints, these cards trace more than a century of Christmas tradition. Each design, whether handcrafted or commercially printed abroad, shows how people have shared hope, friendship, and community across generations. Though the appearance of the cards has changed, their purpose remains the same. To reach out, to remember, and to send a piece of ourselves through the simple act of a card. These small messages of goodwill continue to carry the timeless warmth of the season.

The Christmas cards featured in this online exhibit are part of the Mississauga Heritage collection, preserved to share stories of art, design, and everyday life across generations. Though none were produced locally, they offer insight into how global printing traditions and personal sentiment found a place in Mississauga homes. This exhibit celebrates the importance of preserving these small yet meaningful traces of holiday history for future generations.