From Mcquarrie to Chiang: highlights from 40 years of Lucasfilms Star Wars holiday cards

In December 1977, after Star Wars had spent six months taking audiences to a brand-new galaxy far, far away, Lucasfilm began a holiday tradition of sending cards to friends and corporate partners that still continues today. The very first Lucasfilm holiday card, which was an unassuming, Hollywood-themed greeting card, was probably sent to a few hundred recipients in 1977 and then subsequently relegated to the backs of file cabinet drawers - or worse - after the holiday season.

The unfortunate fate of that first card would never be repeated, however, since the following year's Lucasfilm card would debut two of the company's most recognizable assets: droids C-3PO and R2-D2, front and center on its cover. And so began a long line of Star Wars-themed holiday cards issued by Lucasfilm over the years, a selection of which we are featuring here. Fans of legendary Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie will be delighted to see several of his works which were exclusive to these cards, with most created between 1978 and 1983.

24th December 2017