Christmas cards
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
These are of compara- tively recent origin, the earliest having, it is said, been designed in 1844 by W. C. T. Dobson, R.A., a painter of pretty works of that nature.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Christmas cards” mean?
These are of compara- tively recent origin, the earliest having, it is said, been designed in 1844 by W. C. T. Dobson, R.A., a painter of pretty works of that nature.
Is “Christmas cards” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.