Christmas Cards
The custom of sending Christmas cards began in England in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole sent some cards to friends at Christmastime. These were not like today’s cards with Christmas or winter scenes. They depicted good deeds such as giving food and clothing to those in need.
The first American cards, were made in 1875 by Louis Prang, a German-born painter. These were more along the lines of the kind in use today. He helped popularize cards by holding contests each year for the best designs.
Which is more important – the picture on the card, or the text? According to Hallmark, it isn’t even a close call. It’s the text by a mile.
Speaking of miles, in the United States, over 2 billion Christmas cards are sent each year. To put that in perspective…if average-sized cards were placed side by side, they would stretch around the world six times.
The angel tells Zechariah that his prayer had been heard.
To this story leading up to this point, Luke hadn’t told us what Zechariah was praying for . Now we know. He had been praying for Israel, of course, as a Jewish priest would do. But he and Elizabeth, unrealistic though it may have seemed because of their advanced years, had also been praying for a child.
Three times in Luke we hear angels say, “Do not be afraid” – to Zechariah here, to Mary at the Annunciation and to the shepherds in the filed. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus will also say those same words five times during his public life.
Anything in particular you’d really like to pray for?
Anything going on in your life that has you scared?
Listen.
God is saying to you: “Do not be afraid.”