Object of the Day: A Gloriously Gloomy Greetings Card

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This week, since Christmas is just seven days away, I thought I’d sift through my collection of Victorian ephemera to find trade or greetings cards made for Christmas. I managed to find several which you’ve not seen before. 

This one could either be a birthday card or a Christmas card. I find it quite attractive, to be honest. But, then, I like the funereal stiffness of some of the odd designs of the 1870s-1880s. Meant to be dignified and elegant, the card features a black ground adorned with Forget-Me-Nots and lilies of the valley. Combine that with the gothic type face, and the overall effect is more morbid than merry, but that’s part of its appeal. 

The message reads: 

On this day, 

Dear to all who love thee, 

May the gifts we pray 

Rain from heav’n above thee. 

I’ve wondered if this was meant as some sort of memorial or anniversary of some time in the life of a lost loved one. But, the implication that heaven is above “thee,” doesn’t auger well for that. So, I’ve concluded that it’s just a somewhat gloomy message of affection. Slightly dreary though it may be, the chromolithograph is quite handsome and whoever drew the flowers did a very fine job. The best part is the stunning contrast of the colors—still brilliant after all these decades. 

So, whether this was a Christmas wish or a birthday greeting, now, it’s a reminder to all of us that beauty is everlasting.