Oh no!  I just realized I missed posting the Famous Immigrant of the Week last Friday.  Better late than never!

Today, I wish to honor Louis Prang. I'd never heard of Prang before my search today, but I am thankful to him for selling the first Christmas cards in America.  Sending and  receiving Christmas cards each year is a tradition in our home, and I love the more recent tradition of people including "annual updates" with their Christmas cards.  I love hearing about kids, pets and summer vacations, as well as anything else going on with friends and family I may not get too see as often as I like.

From this About.com article:

Prang was born March 12, 1824 in Breslau, Silesia (then in Prussia, now Wroclaw, Poland). As a child, he apprenticed in his father's factory dyeing calico. At the age of 18, he traveled as a journeyman through Europe, studying dyeing and printing. During his travels, Prang became involved in revolutionary activities. With the Prussian government on his tail, he fled to the Boston, Massachusetts via Switzerland.

In 1856, Prang started a lithograph company with partner Julius Mayer. L. Prang & Co. In 1873, Prang created Christmas greeting cards for the popular English market. The following year, he expanded his greeting card offering and began selling the the first Christmas Cards in America.

In this age of electronic communications, it's quite pleasant to receive a colorful, fun card and a note from loved ones.  It's a tradition I hope continues for a long time.