Photo copyright by Library of Congress Christmas at the turn-of-the-century was a simpler celebration than we know today. Many of the traditions we now enjoy began in the late 1800s. Families often made Christmas gifts for one another rather than head to the shopping mall or department store. Christmas decorations were typically the natural sort: evergreens, mistletoe, holly, and ivy. Christmas carols were sung in homes with people accompanying on the piano. Imagine a home celebration without the distraction of computers and televisions! 1843 – The first Christmas card was drawn by illustrator John Callcott Horlsley for an English nobleman who wanted to send something different than his typical Christmas letter to his friends. It was not long before Christmas cards became popular with full-color and embossed illustrations. The first cards were printed in Boston in 1874. 1860 – Thomas Nast, a famous American cartoonist, depicted Santa Claus for Harper’s Weekl...