History of Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards by the Decade
1980's
Page Fifteen
The trends of the 1970's continued into the 1980's. Popular characters of the times appeared on Christmas cards, such as Max Headroom on a Hallmark Shoebox Greetings card in 1986. American Greetings still featured Ziggy on their 'Forget Me Not' brand cards, and Holly Hobbie was still an American Greetings favorite with the public. Buzza (division of Gibson) produced a Flintstones play card in 1988. American Greetings introduced some new licensed characters in the 1980's. Strawberry Shortcake, a spunky, sweet little girl, was introduced in 1980. Americans fell in love with this character as she portrayed a kind and gentle nature that Americans longed for in their world. In 1981, Strawberry Shortcake generated $500 million in retail sales. "Gretchen" was still being published by American Greetings in the 1980's. In 1982 American Greetings also introduced Care Bears at a national Toy Fair in the U.S. for retail distribution in 1983. Their popularity was so spontaneous that it caused near riots in stores as parents vied to get their hands on the teddy bear version of the greeting card. The bears were pastel colored with a different symbol on each of their tummies. The red heart on Tenderheart's tummy was symbolic of love. Other bears were Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, and Grumpy Bear. 1983 was the same year that American Greetings became a Fortune 500 company. Christmas cards designs were quite the same as in the 1970's. Victorian themes were still common, weather it be a decorated tree or a snow bound town with a horse drawn carriage traveling down Main Street. Other common scenes were nativity, churches, Santa, Christmas trees and landscapes. The use of goldleaf for highlighting or embossed lettering remained a common practice. Glossy real photo prints of snow draped fir trees were beautiful images of the season. Other cards were textured with embossing, felt, burlap, and glitter. More and more cards were being made from recycled paper. American Greetings again issued a card "Printed on Genuine Parchment" with goldleaf. Gibson issued its 'Coke Brand' cards in the late 80s. In 1989 Carlton introduced its French language Entre Nous line of cards. In 1982 Carlton purchased and installed the first seven-color, sheet-fed press in North America. Then in 1986, the company bought another seven-color press, becoming the largest Miller press operation in Canada. By 1987 the company had out-grown its current plant and had to build a new, larger manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facility. In 1988 a 72-acre parcel of land on McLaughlin Road in Brampton was the site of a new 735,000 sq ft. plant. The Good Samaritans (Orlando, FL) produced a wonderful series of Currier and Ives prints. California Dreamers (Chicago, IL) issued some risqué cards with a sense of humor along with other zany cards. While on the other hand, the Sacred Heart League (Walls, MS) produced cards of a religious nature. They were joined in religious themes by Passionist Missionaries (Union City, NJ) and Help the Children (Glendale, CA). Leanin' Tree featured old west style illustrations of cowboys, Indians, wildlife, and landscapes. They even had Santa wearing cowboy boots and hat. American Greetings (Cleveland, Ohio) continued to distribute Christmas cards under the names Carlton, Plus Mark, Americard, and Forget Me Not in the 1980's. By this time American Greetings was the world's largest publicly owned greeting card company. In 1980, American Greetings purchased Rust Craft UK and it subsidiaries. In the same year it also purchased from the Phillip Morris Group their UK greeting card company Celebration Arts Group LTD based in Corby Northamptonshire. American Greetings had previous license agreements with Celebration Arts Group.
In 1982 Carlton purchased Rust Craft Canada, making the company the leading supplier of
greeting cards to major supermarkets. In 1985, American Greetings purchased Drawing Board Greeting Cards
(Dallas, TX) that later became Carlton Cards, Inc., USA. In 1988 Rust Craft UK changes its name to Carlton
Cards LTD.
Hallmark still incorporated Ambassador Cards (see card on right) and Shoebox Greetings. Some other card
producers were, and not limited to: Masterpiece Studios, Inc (Chicago, IL); Famous Artist Studios; and Cleo (a division of Gibson).
Card on right: Christmas Bells photo on linen type card, 1980.
"REMEMBERING YOU Because You're Wonderful". Has green paper insert glued inside with additional sentiment. Ambassador Cards 75X 23H. Size: 5.25" x 7.75"
View 1980's Gallery 1 BY CLICKING HERE
View 1980's Gallery 2 BY CLICKING HERE
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"Dashing through the snow... to wish you the happiest holiday ever!" is little
'GRETCHEN' on an American Greetings card in 1980. In the 1980's many greeting card companies were publishing
and promoting theme characters such as Gretchen, Cindy, Holly Hobbie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Care Bears.
In 1982 Rust Craft UK had to relocate its Denison print facility into a 50,000 square foot
factory at Guiseley, near Leeds. Here they employed 100 people to handle sheet forming, litho printing, sheet
embossing and die cutting. A new press would come in 1985 when Irving Stone, American Greetings president,
commissioned the investment of 1.5 million pounds in an impressive new Nebiolo 56 press for the Guiseley
operation. This press prints five colors and reverse and a coat of varnish in one pass, delivering printed
sheets dry and ready for cutting and subsequent finishing processes.