18 Beautiful and Funny Vintage New Year Cards from the Victorian Era

The New Year cards featured in this gallery have been taken from a small selection of the scrapbook albums and individual examples held by the Library of Birmingham.

Collecting was a popular Victorian pastime amongst wealthy children and women, who would have created their own albums as keepsakes and to share with others.

Cards would be pasted into albums along with decorative chromolithographs or 'scraps' and other ephemera of the period. Each album is utterly unique and complete examples are becoming increasingly hard to find.

A great source of information for social historians, scrapbooks document a snapshot in time, recording passing events, trends and fashions.

1. Wishing you a Happy New Year! (1876)

2. May Hope's Bright Rainbow Beautify The Year! (c.1877)

3. With Loving New Year Greeting (c.1883-1890)

4. New Year Wishes (c.1877)

"The New Year is waiting in the porch,
For the Old Year to hand to her the torch,
That she may light thee on they way,
May she lead thee tenderly, I pray;
May she lead thee aright;
And thy path be bright
With her guiding, consoling, cheering light."


5. Best New Year Wishes (c.1877)

6. May The Coming Year Bring You Happiness And Joy (c.1877)

7. Wishing you a Happy New Year (c.1885)

8. Happy New Year (c.1885)

9. A Happy New Year (c.1868-1878)

10. A Happy New Year (c.1888)

11. With Best New Year Wishes (c.1885)

12. Bonnee annee (c.1888)

13. A very happy New Year (c.1888)

14. A Bright New Year (1883)

15. A Happy New Year (c.1883-1890)

16. A Happy New Year (c.1880-1890)

17. Victorian New Year card (c.1868-1878)

"May New Year Bring Thee Peace And Plenty!
Barns And Cellars Never Empty!"


18. Britannia's Pride (1884)

“Fair winds waft you through the year”