Step 1 : Introduction to the question "4. What holiday tradition keeps the mail carrier busy at Christmas time? "
...1. Making toys for the good girls and boys 2. Gift-wrapping 3. Holiday greeting cards 4. Singing Christmas carols door-to-door Giving greeting cards is an ancient tradition that can be traced as far back as the Egyptians, who exchanged greetings written on papyrus scrolls, and the Chinese, who exchanged greetings of good cheer for the New Year. By the 15th century, handmade greeting cards were popular in Europe and Germany. In the summer of 1843, British businessman and inventor, Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a Christmas card he could send to family and friends. The card was produced in London the same year and it featured pictures of good Samaritans feeding and clothing the poor, and a family enjoying a Christmas feast. The inscription read "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New to You". In 1875, German printer, Louis Prang became the first manufacturer to produce cards in America. Prang's cards were costly and led to the downfall of his business, but despite all this, the American greeting card industry was born and has thrived ever since.
