Consumables
American Greetings Celebrates 20th Anniversary of The Heirloom Ornament Collection
Friday 12. September 2008 - Ornaments Have Become More Gift Than Decoration
American Greetings Corporation (NYSE:AM) is commemorating the 20th anniversary of its Carlton Cards Heirloom Ornament Collection with the release of 96 ornaments that reflect how consumers are celebrating their relationships. Since their introduction in 1988, the ornaments have long been a favorite collectible, but they have also become a favorite gift thanks to the ability to communicate a special moment or a cherished memory.
The work that has gone into crafting the ornaments for the last two decades has focused on both the perfection of the designs and the relationship that the ornaments can represent.
“We have found that there is an emotional exchange that occurs with the giving and receiving of an ornament,” said Tanya Vaughn, Product Manager. “Many of our consumers view the Heirloom Ornament Collection as keepsakes of cherished moments, places, and people. And for the past 20 years we have worked to offer ornaments that go beyond decoration to truly being a way to communicate something special.”
Two decades of characters and memories
Since the original 36 ornaments were introduced, the line has grown in size, popularity, and collectibility. While musical legend Elvis Presley tops the list by being featured on 20 ornaments, holiday favorite Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer comes in second with 14 different designs. The variety of licenses continues to grow with The Beatles, KISS, Dirty Dancing, The Blues Brothers, The Andy Griffith Show, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town being introduced this year.
New in 2008
With 18 ornaments in this year’s collection that feature lights or sound, technology plays an increasingly important role in adding excitement to holiday gifting. From Elvis singing “Blue Suede Shoes” with a blinking “ELVIS” sign in the background, to a classic Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer ornament that plays, “We’re a Couple of Misfits,” adding extra cheer to a holiday tree is just a button push away. Also, a new American Idol ornament features a 15-second recordable sound chip to capture a personalized holiday message.
Celebrating a special life event such as the birth of a child, a new home, or the first year of marriage with a special ornament continues to be popular holiday tradition. Whether it’s to celebrate one’s own milestone or to recognize a close relationship, being able to revisit the happy occasion each year when the tree is decorated has become a favorite practice of many consumers. New designs in the 2008 collection offer the ability to not only link a date to the occasion, but also offer thoughtful wording and sentiments to express their close relationships.
The 2008 Heirloom Ornament Collection is now available in select retailers, as well as in American Greetings and Carlton Cards retail stores.