Boy Eating Frog and Dad Taking TV Into John Among Offbeat Father's Day Cards This Year

CLEVELAND, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- One card shows a black and white snapshot of man in a plaid sports jacket toting a vintage TV, and the line: "I'll be in the john. Hold my calls." The punch line inside says: "May all your Father's Day dreams come true." Another pictures a little boy with a live frog in his mouth. Inside, the card says (yes, in lower case type): "happy father's day from your weird kid."

While these cards may seem a bit shocking at first glance, American Greetings trend experts contend they are actually saying some very positive things about today's fathers. "Greeting cards reflect social trends," explained Susan Svetz, Father's Day program manager. "The message that's coming through loud and clear with these new cards is that many of today's dads are more intimately involved in the day to day lives of their children."

Svetz said casual lifestyles are breaking down many of the old greeting card taboos. "Today's kids feel much more comfortable joking around with their fathers than in the past. "They tend to view Dad more as a confidante and a buddy than as a remote authority figure."

American Greetings also offers these new "cards with an attitude" for other father figures. One for step dads says: "Thanks for taking such good care of my Mom. Keeps her outta my hair."

More information and special offers are available on the corporate web site: http://www.americangreetings.com/ . To go directly to a Father's Day greeting card coupon you can print at home and redeem at participating stores, enter http://corporate.americangreetings.com/ . (Do not enter the "www" prefix.)

American Greetings is the world's largest publicly held creator, manufacturer and distributor of greeting cards and social expression products. Its staff of artists, designers and writers comprises one of the largest creative departments in the world and helps consumers "say it best" by supplying more than 15,000 greeting card designs to retail outlets in nearly every English-speaking country.