The economy may be showing signs of perking up, but the recession's gloom has hit the holiday-card industry. Greeting-card giant Hallmark has rolled out some 25 new recession-themed cards this year — up from just five last year. "We can say it: This wasn't the year that any of us had hoped for," reads one gold-inked card. Another shows a small Christmas tree with three wrapped presents underneath: "We don't have to have a lot to have everything."
It's a sharp dose of sobriety for the card company known for purveying sunny good cheer. This year's offerings are not "sugarcoated or idealistic," says Mark Andrews, product manager for Hallmark's holiday-card division.
Some card companies are tackling the punishing economy with humor. DCI Studios has a Christmas card that doubles as a "new guide to the stock market." Some useful terms: "Broker: What we are this year compared to last year. Merrill Lynch: What we want to do to Merrill. Liquid assets: beer, scotch, vodka, whatever helps."
Other holiday-card designers are downright caustic. Order of St. Nick, based in Davenport, Iowa, has a Depressing Times section, which includes a card with a stark black-and-white photo of a man with tattered clothing, a dirt-smudged face and a thought bubble that reads, "The more I drink, the less I care that we lost our home in the subprime mortgage crisis." Another of its Dust Bowl–era holiday cards features a woman wrapping a gift. "I made you a Christmas present!" reads the front cover. On the inside: "But I had to burn it in a trashcan to stay warm." Owner Andrew Shaffer says he has sold hundreds of these cards this year.
One company that is steering clear of the crappy economy, however, is Hallmark's biggest competitor, American Greetings. "Our cards don't specifically call out negative or challenging times," says spokesman Frank Cirillo. "It's a time of year when people can embrace their relationships and focus on the other people in their lives that give them strength throughout the year."
That helps explain why, even in a season of thinner wallets, the $7.5 billion–a–year greeting-card industry is holding up pretty well, according to the Greeting Card Association. "Card sending seems to remain relatively strong even during difficult economic times," says spokeswoman Barbara Miller, who notes the association is projecting that stores will sell 2 billion holiday cards this year, the same number they sold last year.
Hallmark is already rolling around ideas for next Christmas — when people may be feeling more upbeat than they do this season. But for now, the best it can do is try to lighten the gloomy economic mood. "Due to high costs, Santa had to cut back on his help this year," reads one card. Let's hope those laid-off elves still care to send the very best.