Below, you’ll find some of the most adorable, quirky, and hilarious pictures from Christmases past. You’ll get to see how Christmas cards have transformed over the years and read snippets of some fascinating articles about events that have taken place around Christmas time to get a festive blast from the past. Keep reading to also find interviews we were lucky enough to receive from the creator of Strange Company, which has shared many of the photos on this list, and Roxanne Kwiecinski, the woman behind The Honeycomb Home, to hear their expertise on vintage Christmas items.
Be sure to upvote the pictures that make you feel sentimental for a Christmas you never even experienced, and let us know in the comments what your favorite memories from past Christmases are. Then, if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article featuring Victorian Christmas cards that are a bit creepier than what Hallmark sells nowadays, you can find that list right here!
#1 There Is Something About The Mind-Boggling Senselessness Of This Card That Speaks To Me
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
Many of the photos on this list have been gathered from the fascinating Facebook page Strange Company, so we reached out to the page's creator, Undine, to hear how it came to be in the first place. "I’ve always had an interest in the weirder side of history (ghosts, disappearances, bizarre crime cases, eccentrics, etc.)," she told Bored Panda. "Strange Company is my way of amusing myself by sharing such stories with whoever might be interested in them, as well."
And when it comes to how Undine collects all of the Christmas images she has been sharing recently, she says that they're all pictures she's found on the internet. "I believe they date largely from the late Victorian era (a period that was rich in delightful oddities of all sorts.)," she noted.
#2 This Week's Christmas #caturday Scorecard: Krampus: 0 Cat: 1
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
We were also curious why she thinks we're so fascinated by these old pictures. "I think we’re interested in these vintage cards because they have personality--they certainly don’t have that bland mass-produced air found in most modern cards," she shared. "And their weirdness is a great mystery--you find yourself staring at them wondering, 'Why did someone create this?'"
Finally, we wanted to know if Undine had a favorite one of these Christmas images. "I don’t think anyone will ever top the card showing a frog stabbing another frog to death and running off with his victim’s money."
If you'd like to find even more of these quirky, festive pictures, be sure to follow Strange Company on Facebook right here.
#3 Christmas 2020 Mood
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#4 What Do We Want? Christmas Frogs! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
To learn more about vintage items and how they can be incorporated into our homes during Christmas time, we reached out to Roxanne Kwiecinski, the woman behind The Honeycomb Home blog. We were curious how Roxanne first became interested in including vintage items into her Christmas decor, and she shared that saving money was her inspiration initially.
But that's not the only reason to incorporate vintage elements into your Christmas. "Christmas is a time that usually includes nostalgia and traditions so I find using vintage items at Christmas is a natural fit," she shared.
We were also curious if Roxanne had any favorite vintage Christmas decorations. "I have a vintage sled that is the perfect accent for Christmas decor," she shared. "In past years, I've used it on my porch, and sometimes I will display it in the house. I also have a gorgeous red and white vintage quilt that I use as a tree skirt, it's one of my favorite finds to date."
#5 Oh, Sure, Roll Out The Beets. At This Point In The Christmas Season, I Don’t Care Anymore
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
If you're looking to expand your vintage Christmas decor, Roxanne wants to remind readers to keep an open mind while shopping. "And buy what you love even if you don't think you have a spot for it. Think outside the box. You can use items in ways other than their intended purpose (for example the quilt as a tree skirt)."
"Putting vintage pieces in your home adds instant character in a way new items never could!" Roxanne added.
If you'd like to gain even more home decorating tips from Roxanne, be sure to visit her blog The Honeycomb Home right here!
#6 My Favorite Part Of The Christmas Holidays Is When The Plum Puddings Rise Up And Start Murdering People In Their Beds
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
Christmas has been celebrated for thousands of years, so it only makes sense for the way in which it is celebrated to have transformed greatly over time. Though the holiday has religious origins, centering around the birth of Jesus Christ, it’s now celebrated by billions of people worldwide, many of whom do not actually practice Christianity. For many people, Christmas is simply about spending time with loved ones, getting cozy and enjoying a delicious feast together, and exchanging gifts to show how much we love and care about one another. And one of the most popular traditions many of us choose to participate in is sending Christmas cards.
Cards are nice year round, but especially around Christmas time, many of us go all out when sending them. As a kid, I remember getting dressed up to pose for the “Christmas card photo” every year, and my mother always covered an entire door in our home with all of the adorable cards we would receive from friends and family members. Even in college, my roommates and I created cute cards each year that we sent to our families back home and handed out to friends to spread a bit of holiday spirit. Personally, I find one of the most important parts of Christmas to be letting my loved ones know just how much I cherish them, so I’m always happy to give out a sweet ‘from the heart’ card.
#7 So Now You Know What Happens To Kids On Santa’s Naughty List
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#8 It Always Warms My Heart When Santa Claus Turns Loose His Attack Emus
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#9 What Do We Want? Christmas Frogs! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
As some of the photos on this list make it very clear, Christmas cards have transformed a bit over time, just like holiday celebrations. There are many interesting vintage cards showing images that we might find confusing or less than inviting today. But are you familiar with how the tradition of sending holiday cards started in the first place? Apparently, we have English educator and patron of the arts, Henry Cole, to thank for popularizing the Christmas card. According to Smithsonian magazine, the holiday season of 1843 was causing Cole a bit of anxiety, as he had many letters piling up from too many friends, and he didn’t have the time to respond to them all.
That’s when he came up with the most brilliant idea. He reached out to an artist friend, J.C. Horsley, and asked if he could design an idea that Cole had imagined. The two men then created an illustration of a family at a table celebrating the holiday, surrounded by images of people helping out the poor, and he had a thousand copies made by a printer in London. The drawings were printed on stiff cardboard, and at the top of each was written, “TO:___”, as well as the generic greeting “A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year To You”.
#10 Oh, Fine. Bring On The Giant Cabbage Women. See If I Care
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#11 Your Dead-Eyed Zombie Snowman Is Scaring The Kittens
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#12 What Do We Want? Christmas Frogs! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
Although it was well-intentioned, Cole’s original Christmas card still managed to be the subject of some controversy in England. The image on the card happened to feature a few young siblings enjoying what appeared to be glasses of wine, next to their older siblings and parents. “At the time there was a big temperance movement in England,” Ace Collins, author of Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, told Smithsonian. “So there were some that thought he was encouraging underage drinking.” But overall, the Christmas card was still a success. Within a few years, other prominent socialites in Victorian England followed suit and began sending out their own cards during the holiday season.
#13 Bring On The Christmas Witches
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#14 Bring On The Christmas Witches
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#15 May 2021 Be The Year We All Fly Around On Giant Bats
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
It took a few decades for Christmas cards to become common in the United Kingdom and the United States, but eventually, they turned into a December staple. Nowadays, regardless of what you celebrate during this holiday season, you can send a card for it: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or even simply New Year’s. There is another man who is credited for creating the first American Christmas card though: Louis Prang, a Prussian immigrant who owned a print shop near Boston. In 1875, Louis created a card with a painting of a flower that simply read “Merry Christmas”, which launched the first generation of American holiday cards. “They were vivid, beautiful reproductions,” Ace Collins told Smithsonian. “There were very few nativity scenes or depictions of holiday celebrations. You were typically looking at animals, nature, scenes that could have taken place in October or February.”
#16 In Which We Learn That "Christmas Glee" Means Murdering Santa And Burying Him In The Woods. I'm Sold
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#17 I Find This One Weirdly Charming
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#18 Have Yourself A Merry Murder Christmas!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
As Christmas cards became more and more popular, people began to collect them the same way they might collect coins or butterflies, and competitions even began to award whoever could come up with the best designs. Nowadays, Christmas is the largest card-sending holiday in the United States, with over 2 billion cards being sent annually. We don’t just send paper cards anymore, though. About 500 million Christmas e-cards arrive in people’s inboxes each year as well. There is even a “Christmas Card Day”, which is celebrated on December 9th each year. I imagine that this is the last day that you can ensure your card will arrive where it needs to be before December 25th, if you’re mailing it domestically.
#19 Bring On The Christmas Witches
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#20 I Post This Card Every Year, Even Though It Makes Me Mourn Humanity’s Very Existence
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#21 Christmas Isn't Christmas Until Santa's Elves Are Eaten By Giant Beetles!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
If you’re looking for a more sustainable option for sending holiday cards, or you don’t want to break the bank purchasing expensive cards in a store, e-cards might be the perfect option for you. They are typically less expensive and reach your friends and family members instantly. While it’s nice to receive physical mail, those billions of Christmas cards have to end up somewhere, and that’s often going to be in the trash bin at the end of the season. E-cards are often more customizable as well, so you can adjust the design to perfectly fit whoever you want to send a holiday greeting to. You also don’t need to worry about them getting lost in the post office. This time of year, sending any physical mail is a bit of a gamble, so why not rely on the trusty e-card instead?
#22 Run For Your Lives
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#23 The Homicidal Frog Advent Calendar
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#24 I'd Love To Know The Discussion That LED To This Card Being Created
"Hey, Phil, how do we best represent the Christmas season? I'm out of ideas." "I've got it! A kitten staring at a boiled egg!" "Perfect! Let's run with it!"
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
All of these photos from past Christmases are making me want to look back on some of my own favorite Christmases. As a kid, my brothers and I had a tradition of waking up extremely early every December 25th, around 5 or 6 in the morning, and we would spend the next few hours watching A Christmas Story on repeat until my parents finally woke up. We would gaze in awe at all of the gifts under the tree and open our stockings to keep us occupied for a few hours while we gushed from excitement for the following day. Christmas was always the most magical day of the year for me as a kid, and I’m so thankful to my parents and brothers for making those days some of the very best memories I have from childhood.
#25 The Fact That This Was Used To Covey Christmas Greetings Makes It All The More Unexpected
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#26 Good Morning!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
As an adult, Christmas may not be quite as magical as it once was, but I still can’t help but love this holiday season. Picking out the perfect gifts for my loved ones, seeing the joy on someone’s face when I deliver them some freshly baked cookies and filling up the apartment with lights and decorations to feel extra cozy just makes this time of year feel so special. I’m a huge proponent of finding any excuse to celebrate, so my heart is just bursting with love during this time. Why wouldn’t I shower my partner in gifts and watch Christmas movies while drinking hot chocolate? I don’t do those things any other time of year, so I have to take advantage of it now!
#27 I See We've Reached The "Run For Your Lives!" Part Of The Holiday Season
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#28 I Like That Donald Refused To Make Any Promises. (Richmond Dispatch 1900)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#29 Tell Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations Without Telling Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
I hope all of you pandas out there have had a wonderful holiday season, and I can’t wait to read some of your best memories from Christmases past in the comments below. Keep upvoting the vintage Christmas pics that you find most adorable or perplexing, and keep that Christmas spirit going in the comments! Thank you for being with us this holiday season, and if I could, I would send you all a handwritten holiday card. But for now, this article will have to do! And if you’re interested in checking out even more questionable Victorian holiday cards that we’ve featured on Bored Panda before, you can find those right here!
#30 Today’s Vintage Ad With Unexpected Cats. It’s Christmas Time!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#31 Bring On The Christmas Witches
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#32 What Do We Want? Dead Christmas Birds! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#33 Have No Fear, 2022 Root Vegetable Man Is Here!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#34 I’ve Got A Bad Feeling About This
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#35 "Have Yourself A Dysentery Christmas..."
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#36 Today’s Vintage Ad With Unexpected Cats. It’s A Chessie Christmas!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#37 Pro Tip: Wrap Up The Holiday Party When The Bottles Begin Vomiting Into The Punch Bowl
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#38 I Can't Decide Which Is Worse: The Image Or The Poetry
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#39 Kitty Has Had It With Your "Merry Christmas!" Crap
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#40 What Do We Want? Christmas Frogs! When Do We Want Them? Now!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#41 Oh, God, The Christmas Frogs Are Here
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#42 Just A Reminder To Us All What The Christmas Spirit Truly Means. (Richmond Times 1901, Via Newspapers.com)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#43 When The Illustrated Police News Throws A Christmas Party
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#44 Scrooge Had Nothing On This Guy. (Fort Worth Star Telegram 1951
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#45 Latvians Traditionally Have Their Christmas Dinner On The 24th
There should be at least nine different dishes on the table, usually consisting of pork (traditionally, a whole roasted pig’s head!) fish, poultry, bacon rolls (speķa pīrāgi), sauerkraut with caraway seeds, carrots, peas, beetroot and gingerbread cookies. The feast must also include bread, salt and fire, as they bring blessings for the year ahead
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#46 Congratulations To Everyone Who Had "Miniature Children Being Attacked By Butterflies" On Your Christmas 2022 Bingo Card
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#47 And You Think Your Neighbors Are Scary
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#48 Meanwhile, In The World Of Christmas Goats... (Urbana Courier 1933
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#49 The Most Heartwarming Part Of The Christmas Season Is When The Insects Get Together To Perform Scenes From “Macbeth.”
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#50 Now This Is Just Plain Cruel
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#51 I Have No Idea
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#52 I'm Scared Now
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#53 To Be Honest, This Sounds Like My Kind Of Christmas. (Bakersfield Californian 1948)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#54 I See We've Reached The "Run For Your Lives!" Part Of The Holiday Season
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#55 I Do Not Want Christmas Greetings From A Beheaded Egg-Person
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#56 Tell Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations Without Telling Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#57 Tell Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations Without Telling Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#58 Don’t Look Now, But Your Christmas Dinner Has Taken Over The Piano. You Might Want To Eat Out This Year
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#59 Shared Simply Because Anyone Who Can Celebrate Christmas On Such An Epic Scale Deserves To Be Remembered. (Western Daily Press 1934)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#60 Good Morning!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#61 My Only Explanation For This One: Scientists Get Drunk At Their Christmas Party, Attempt Some Genetic Experiments, Things Go Very Very Wrong
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#62 Ah The Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Ritual Sacrifice
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#63 With Some Of These Cards, All You Can Do Is Ask, “Why?”
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#64 I Love The Fact That There Is Nothing About This Card That Is Sane
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#65 You Look At The Image, And Think, “Well, This Is Nice. A Pleasant Change From Our Usual Deranged Vintage Christmas Cards.” And Then You Read The Poem…
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#66 What Fresh Nightmare World Is This?
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#67 You Didn't Think Your Kids Got All Those New Toys Honestly, Did You?
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#68 I Get The Feeling Somebody Didn't Like Mr. Maylor. (Lead Daily Call 1904)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#69 I Can Only Assume This Is Some Sort Of Pagan Winter Solstice Ritual That Doesn’t End Well For The Guy With The Blindfold
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#70 I Don't Even Want To Speculate About The Target Demographic For This One
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#71 Now That's The Christmas Spirit! (Chicago Tribune 1933)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#72 Oh, Look! Bluebeard Has A Christmas Tree!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#73 1880 Must Have Been Quite A Year
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#74 It's An Illustrated Police News Christmas! (1876)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#75 Meanwhile, In The World Of Christmas Goats... (Washington Star 1907)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#76 Good Morning!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#77 Give The Gift Of Romance This Christmas! (Honesdale Citizen 1912)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#78 You Don't Want To Know What George Has Planned For The Christmas Party. (Maysville Public Ledger 1893)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#79 I Could Think Of Many Words For This Image, But "Merry" Is Not One Of Them
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#80 Christmas Witches! We Have Christmas Witches!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#81 In Today's Christmas News, The Cats Banded Together And Massacred All Of Santa's Elves
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#82 Uncle Jim Must Have Had An Interesting Christmas. (Atlanta Constitution 1905)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#83 Angela, Give That Kitten Your Slippers
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#84 Tell Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations Without Telling Me You’ve Run Out Of Christmas Illustrations
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#85 Well, This Certainly Sets A Tone
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#86 Today's Vintage Ad With Unexpected Cats. And Santa's Scaring Them. Nice
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#87 It’s That Time Of The Holiday Season Where I Bring Out The Card-Playing Monkeys And Wonder Just What In Hell I’m Doing With My Life
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#88 A Cheery Reminder That Your Christmas Dinner Is Really A Funeral!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#89 I Suspect Everyone In This Image Is A Robot. Including The Cat With A Microscopic Head
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#90 They’re Coming For Us
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#91 Yes, Virginia, There Is A Florida Man Santa Claus
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#92 I Have Yet To Understand The Point Of This Card, And I Pray That I Never Do
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#93 For Everyone On Your Christmas List That You'd Like To See Hugged To Death By A Polar Bear
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#94 Today’s Vintage Ad With Unexpected Cats Looks Back To The Days When Pepsi Was Part Of “Good Sense In Diet.”
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#95 When The Pigs Start Reenacting Scenes From”the Wicker Man,” You Know It Will Be A Memorable Christmas
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#96 A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#97 Here's A Crow For Christmas
Image credits: tuckdb.org
#98 Wishing You A Jolly Christmas
Image credits: indiana.edu
#99 A Merry Xmas
Image credits: Sydney Living Museums
#100 Feline Of The Week Is Thomas Rittenhouse, Who Got His Very Own Christmas Tree. And I Think Tom *did* Enjoy It. (Washington Post 1915)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#101 I Just Sense This Was One Of Those Families Who Have Things Happen. (Bridgewater Courier-News 1946)
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#102 This One Manages To Be Boring And Weird At The Same Time
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#103 This Is Their Way Of Telling You That Your Dog Blew All The Christmas Money At The Racetrack
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#104 ’ve Lost Count Of The Number Of Unsettling Elements In This One
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#105 Today's Vintage Ad With Unexpected Cats Throws A Christmas Party!
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#106 Nothing Gets Me In The Christmas Spirit Like Our Anthropomorphic Christmas Pudding Attacking The Bird-Woman Cook
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#107 I Wish I Had An Explanation For This One
“Evil space aliens are disguising themselves as snowmen so they can murder us all,” but I don’t. Enjoy your Christmas season. While you still can
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#108 A Happy Christmas
Image credits: StrangeCompanyBlog
#109 Wishing You A Merry Christmas
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#110 A Merry Christmas
