The computer’s first Christmas card represents a remarkable convergence of technology, literature, and tradition. At first glance, the idea of a machine-generated holiday greeting might seem like a whimsical novelty, but when placed in its historical and cultural context, it reveals profound insights about technology’s influence on human expression and the evolution of holiday rituals.
This unique concept is best known through the lens of Scottish poet Edwin Morgan’s 1968 work, The Computer’s First Christmas Card. Morgan’s innovative poem, presented in concrete poetry style, not only imagined what a computer-generated greeting might look like but also challenged conventional ideas about language, creativity, and the role of technology in society.
In this article, we explore the intriguing story behind the computer’s first Christmas card, the creative genius of Edwin Morgan, and the broader cultural impact this fusion of technology and tradition continues to have today.
The Birth of a New Tradition: Christmas Cards Before Computers
Christmas cards have been a beloved and evolving holiday tradition since the mid-19th century. The world’s first commercial Christmas card, commissioned in London in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, launched the practice of sending printed holiday greetings widely [source: Victoria and Albert Museum]. Early cards often depicted family scenes, acts of charity, and winter festivity, embodying values of goodwill and connection.
For over a century, Christmas cards remained firmly rooted in hand-crafted or mass-printed physical forms. The ritual of selecting, writing, and mailing cards was a significant part of the season’s social fabric.
Technology Meets Tradition: The Rise of Computing in the 1960s
By the 1960s, computers were large, room-sized machines primarily used in academia, government, and industry. Programming was complex, and the idea of computers as cultural or artistic participants was still experimental. Scottish poet Edwin Morgan was among the pioneers who saw beyond the machine’s practical functions to imagine their role in creative expression.
Morgan’s fascination with computing led him to produce poems that playfully explored the machine’s “voice.” In 1968, he wrote The Computer’s First Christmas Card, a poem that not only mimicked the mechanical errors a computer might make but also ventured into questions about language, communication, and the nature of creativity.
Edwin Morgan’s Vision: A Playful Yet Profound Approach
Morgan’s poem stands out for its joyful tone and its cutting-edge concrete poetry form. The poem visually imitates a computer printout, with even-spacing and uniform structure,
emphasizing the mechanical origins of the message.
The greeting itself is a charming blend of nonsense and festive cheer, featuring phrases like “jollymerry hollyberry jollyberry” that humorously capture
the computer’s imperfect attempt to emulate human language. This playful “failure” is integral to the poem’s charm—it highlights both the limitations and the potential of computational language.
Literary scholars observe that Morgan’s poem not only entertains but also decentrers human language, giving voice to a non-human actor and expanding the boundaries of poetic expression. Vlad Butucea, a researcher who has studied Morgan’s work extensively, notes that the poem challenges dominant cultural norms by privileging alternative forms of communication and expression,
inviting readers to reconsider fixed ideas about language and meaning.
The Poem’s Cultural Impact and Legacy
Morgan’s The Computer’s First Christmas Card was more than a quirky literary experiment. It symbolized a new cultural moment where technology began to reshape not only how we communicate but also how we express emotion and creativity.
Early Recognition and Exhibitions
The poem was displayed at the Cybernetic Serendipity exhibition in London in 1968, one of the first events to showcase computer-generated or computer-assisted art.
This context positioned the poem among pioneering works that bridged human creativity with emerging digital technologies.
Inspiration for Digital Creativity
Morgan’s blending of poetry and computer science inspired subsequent generations of artists and programmers to explore algorithmic art,
electronic literature, and digital media. The poem anticipated contemporary interests in AI-generated text,
machine learning, and generative art.
Reflections on Human and Machine Communication
By highlighting a computer’s “struggle” to emulate human festive greetings, the poem raises enduring questions about the nature of communication—
how machines interpret human emotion and whether they can genuinely participate in cultural traditions.
Influence on Digital Holiday Greetings Today
The poem’s legacy can be seen in the proliferation of e-cards, animated greetings, and personalized digital messages popular in the modern holiday season. It represents the conceptual seed from which computerized holiday communication has grown.
Broader Themes: Language, Otherness, and Inclusion
Morgan’s work also fits within a wider political and philosophical framework.
By giving language and voice to often marginalized “others”—whether machines,
monsters, or aliens—Morgan’s poetry challenges human-centered ideologies and promotes inclusivity.
This decentering suggests that meaning is plural and expansive, capable of encompassing diverse experiences and forms of intelligence.
Such themes resonate strongly today in conversations about AI ethics, multiculturalism, and the democratization of art.
A High Authority Source for Further Exploration
For those interested in the historical and cultural significance of Christmas cards,
the Victoria and Albert Museum provides a detailed and authoritative resource:
V&A Museum – The First Christmas Card
Read More: How the Computer’s First Christmas Card Changed the Way We Share Greetings
Conclusion
The computer’s first Christmas card, immortalized in Edwin Morgan’s imaginative poem, stands as a landmark moment that transformed a familiar holiday tradition. It opened new possibilities for the intersection of technology and culture, blending humor, creativity, and reflection.
Today, as digital communications continue to dominate holiday exchanges, Morgan’s work remains a source of inspiration and insight—reminding us that even in an age of machines, language, art,
and festive spirit retain their boundless human vibrancy.
Add a Comment