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Christmas Greeting

Greetings Card
second half of 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Eyre & Spottiswoode (publisher)
Place of origin
England (made)

The tradition of kissing beneath the mistletoe, the central theme of this Christmas greetings card, originates in an old Norse practice of warring enemies calling truce under mistletoe, sealing their pledge with a kiss. The kiss symbolised an exchange of souls. Apart from encouraging peace and reconciliation, mistletoe was believed to have medicinal and healing properties.


Object details

Categories
Access_to_Images 2003
Christmas
Greeting Cards
Object type
Greetings card
TitleChristmas Greeting (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Chromolithograph on paper card
Paper
Chromolithography
Brief description
Christmas card bearing mistletoe motif
Physical description
Chromolithograph depicting two children collecting mistletoe and holly branches in a wood. An open clearing forms the cartouche bearing a Christmas poem. The young boy carries a mistletoe branch in one hand and a holly branch in the other. The young girl reaches out to pluck a sprig of mistletoe.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12.9cm
  • Width: 9.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Inscription; decoration; English)
  • Christmas Greeting/ The leaf shall laugh, / The berry shall glow, / For joy of our hearts/ 'Neath the mistletoe (Inscription; decoration; upper left corner)
  • with (Inscription; decoration; right centre)
  • Christmas Greetings (Inscription; decoration; English; lower fourth of composition)
Subjects depicted
Mistletoe
Children
Woods
Christmas
Summary
The tradition of kissing beneath the mistletoe, the central theme of this Christmas greetings card, originates in an old Norse practice of warring enemies calling truce under mistletoe, sealing their pledge with a kiss. The kiss symbolised an exchange of souls. Apart from encouraging peace and reconciliation, mistletoe was believed to have medicinal and healing properties.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
28897:8

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Record createdDecember 16, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87437/christmas-greeting-greetings-card-eyre--spottiswoode/
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