St. Patrick's Day Birthday Cards Are a 'Hot Ticket'

Contact: Laurie Henrichsen / 216.252.4943 or Megan Ferington / 216.252.7300, ext. 4931

CLEVELAND, March 7 -- Everyone celebrates the luck o' the Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but only the luckiest can also claim the holiday as their birthday.

Trend spotters at American Greetings say St. Patrick's Day babies enjoy a sort of "celebrity status" for the day, leading to a big demand for special St. Patrick's Day birthday cards. In fact, the cards are so popular that more than 10 percent of the company's St. Patrick's Day card line is devoted to "birthday" selections, the highest percentage for any holiday.

"The U.S. Census Bureau shows that March ranks only fourth for the average number of births per month, however, we've found that there's an unusually high demand for birthday cards," said Angela Thompson, St. Patrick's Day product manager at American Greetings.

St. Patrick's Day babies are fortunate to be in the company of some well-known "Irish for a day" celebrities, including Danny DeVito, Rob Lowe, Kurt Russell, Mia Hamm and the late Nat "King" Cole, to name just a few.

While traditional birthday sentiments are always popular, well wishers will also find cards that take a tongue-in-cheek approach to growing a year older. One such card from American Greetings features an antique photo of a ticker tape parade on the front, complete with a massive crowd of parade- goers. Inside, the message reads, "Wow-word really got around about your birthday! Happy St. Patrick's Day Birthday."

"Just being born on St. Patrick's Day doesn't make you special, ya know!" quips a leprechaun on one birthday card from American Greetings. "You'd be special no matter what day you were born." Another features a bug-eyed leprechaun standing at the top of a hill with the caption: "A tiny little leprechaun told me you're turning another year older today!" Inside, the sprite is squashed under a giant foot with the phrase, "But don't worry -- he won't be telling anyone else. Happy St. Paddy's Day Birthday."

"Birthdays are all about celebrating and having a good time," said Pat Sandy, program director, humorous cards at American Greetings. "When you add St. Patrick's Day to the mix, the creative possibilities are nearly endless.

"Our artists and writers enjoy the creative challenge of coming up with fresh material for birthday cards so placing leprechauns in everyday situations provides almost limitless potential for unabashed humor," he added.

About American Greetings Corporation
American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM), which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2006, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of social expression products. Along with greeting cards, its product lines include gift wrap, party goods, candles, stationery, calendars, educational products, ornaments and electronic greetings. American Greetings is also the creator and owner of many celebrated character properties, including Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual net sales of approximately $2 billion. For more information on the Corporation, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.