St. Patrick's Day Pays Tribute to Luck, Love, and Life

Millions of Americans to Celebrate Irish Heritage On March 17

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Mar 12, 2010, 10:30 ET

CLEVELAND, March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- There are more than 36 million people who claim Irish ancestry in the United States, which is almost nine times the population of Ireland itself. So on March 17, as approximately 44 percent of Americans take part in St. Patrick's Day celebrations, this shared pride in Irish heritage will bring people together for a variety of festive activities. Since few things are more Irish than sharing smiles and laughs, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has introduced a new line of St. Patrick's Day greeting cards that are sure to have Irish eyes smiling as they reach out to friends and family this year.

Starting out as a religious holiday to honor St. Patrick for introducing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, St. Patrick's Day has evolved to a festive celebration of Irish pride. While nearly 82 percent of Americans wear some article of green clothing to recognize the holiday, others share special meals with friends and family, enjoy parades, and hit the town to take part in this yearly tradition.

"St. Patrick's Day is a great holiday because it's all about celebrating life, wishing each other good luck, and a love for all things Irish, which everyone can appreciate and feel a part of, even if they're not Irish," said Ed Sherry, St. Patrick's Day product manager at American Greetings. "That's why sending St. Patrick's Day cards are so popular—they remind us to enjoy ourselves, and share a laugh or a smile with someone important in our lives."

This year the greeting card aisle will be filled with a great variety of St. Patrick's Day greetings, showcasing everything from adorable animals and leprechauns to shamrocks and pots of gold. Add in a dose of good old Irish wit and heartfelt wishes, and there's a perfect card for everyone who wants to spread a little Irish cheer.

The 2010 collection of St. Patrick's Day cards from American Greetings can be found at participating drug chains, grocery stores and super centers nationwide. For more information, including store locations, please visit www.corporate.americangreetings.com. You can also follow American Greetings on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amgreetings.

About American Greetings Corporation

For more than 100 years, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a manufacturer and retailer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company's major greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings and Papyrus, and other paper product offerings include DesignWare party goods, American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards. American Greetings also has the largest collection of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com through AG Interactive, Inc. (the Company's online division). AG Interactive also offers digital photo sharing and personal publishing at PhotoWorks.com and Webshots.com and a one-stop source for online graphics and animations at Kiwee.com. In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.7 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets domestically and worldwide. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.

SOURCE American Greetings Corporation