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A
greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an
expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although
greeting cards are usually given on special occasions, such
as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also
sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting
cards, usually packaged with an envelope, come in a variety
of styles. There are both mass-produced as well as handmade
versions that are distributed by hundreds of companies large
and small. While typically inexpensive, more elaborate cards
with die-cuts or glued-on decorations may be more expensive.
Hallmark Cards and American Greetings are the largest
producers of greeting cards in the world. In the United
Kingdom, it is estimated that one billion pounds are spent
on greeting cards every year, with the average person
sending 55 cards per year.
In western countries and increasingly in other societies,
many people traditionally mail seasonally themed cards to
their friends and relatives in December. Many service
businesses also send cards to their customers in this
season, usually with a universally acceptable non-religious
message such as "happy holidays" or "seasons's greetings".
The Greeting Card Association is an international trade
organization representing the interests of greeting card and
stationery manufacturers. John Beeder, former president of
the Greeting Card Association, says greeting cards are
effective tools to communicate important feelings to people
you care about: "Anyone feels great when they receive an
unexpected card in the mail. For me, there’s nothing like a
greeting card to send a special message. I’m proud to be a
part of an industry that not only keeps people connected,
but uses both imagery and the power of words to help us
express our emotions.”
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