LONDON — For many, Christmas would not be the same without a house brimming with cards from their nearest and dearest, stamped and sent by mail or hand-delivered in the heart of the season.

For others, the printed card is an artifact of a bygone era. Putting pen to paper — and mailing it — is too much of a hassle.

But in an era of e-cards, emojis and GIFs, a London museum has put on display what the Smithsonian and the Victoria and Albert Museum call the world’s oldest printed Christmas card. Dating to 1843, it serves as a reminder of the enduring power of a holiday tradition.

The card was one of 1,000 commissioned by a British civil servant, Henry Cole, and illustrated by the artist John Callcott Horsley, the Charles Dickens Museum in central London said.