Sir Henry Cole

How many people have ever heard of Sir Henry Cole? It is not surprising I do not see any one raising their hand. With the holiday season just ending, it is appropriate that Cole be remembered - or should I say "introduced?" - as it is he who many recognize as being the inventor of the Christmas Card. The year was 1843. His first card contained the basic message: "A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year." It, of course, is a seasonal salutation that has been replicated in many ways over the past 170 years. While no one knows for sure, a conservitive estimate is over several hundred billion Christmas cards have been produced and distributed during that time.

Cole was an English civil servant who was also credited with introducing the Penny Post and designing the first postage stamp. These as well as the Christmas card are not bad achievemnts to list on one's resume. Queen Victoria thought so, too, as in 1875 she bestowed knighthood upon Cole. He lived another seven years. Looking back, it would be difficult to identify any other who on the basis of a single theme-based message could match the communication impact of Cole. Year-in and year-out all of us extend holiday greetings to family, friends and colleague often in the form of a greeting card. Our actions were triggered by Cole's initial inspiration.

This reflecting on Cole serves as a reminder of the potential impaact and magnitude of any effort to communicate. Whether it is in the form of a gesture or physical act, greeting card, an advertisement, a speech or a catchy phrase, one never knows what attempt to reach out to another might capture the attention of publics beyond the so-called targeted audience. This is why communication is and will remain the most serious of social sciences. It can and does often have impaqct and make a difference in people's lives. Whether a person views themself as a professional or non-professional communicator, they carry with them a potential for great significance.