By Katie Strobel and Steven Vagnini, Walt Disney Archives
As part of a cherished holiday tradition that began in 1930, Disney studio employees, business partners, and friends could look forward to the yuletide charm of the annual Disney company Christmas card. What began as a simple yet elegant token of goodwill grew over time into a venerable artistic showcase, thanks to the talents of renowned studio designers and illustrators including Tom Wood, Hank Porter, Paul Wenzel, and Disney Legends Mary Blair and Bob Moore. These timeless keepsakes often depicted favorite Disney characters celebrating the magic of the season while offering a glimpse of exciting wonders to come from the Disney studio in the new year.
At the Walt Disney Archives, we are privileged to preserve not only these treasured cards, but also many of the original works of art that led to the final printed creation. In celebration of the holiday season, we’d like to turn the clock back 75 years to highlight three iterations of the 1949 greeting as a stand-out example that spotlights the development of a card—in this case, one that previews a landmark project that would soon revitalize the Disney studio and set the course for animation history: Cinderella (1950).
First, we present the preliminary “ruff” composition for the card’s interior illustration, designed by Disney Legend John Hench. This initial concept anticipates one of the film’s most enchanting scenes in beautiful hues of blue and purple. Along the bottom, Hench also sketched out a banner that would leave room for a new year’s calendar (a typical feature for a card of this era).
Fellow Disney Legend Mary Blair then took Hench’s concept and created a finalized layout, applying her signature style. In her version, the Fairy Godmother is rendered with greater detail as she magically sends Cinderella’s carriage on its way to the castle.
Finally, we present the finished product: the completed holiday card. Pictured here as it appears when unfolded, it reveals a vibrant, printed version of Blair’s artwork on the inside.
It’s worth noting that both Hench and Blair have a “Color and Styling” credit in Cinderella, making them well-suited illustrators for this card.
And another fun feature: the front cover of the card features an imaginative scene with Mickey Mouse caroling in the snow alongside Jaq and Gus, Cinderella’s faithful mice friends. Meanwhile, the back of the card teases more upcoming Disney films in development at that time—namely, the studio’s first all-live-action feature, Treasure Island (1950), and the next animated feature in development, Alice in Wonderland (1951).
In this regard, the artistry of Disney’s holiday cards not only offers distinctive and festive reflections of the season but also captures moments in the studio’s evolving legacy—a tradition we are honored to safeguard and share here at the Walt Disney Archives.
Season’s greetings!