Hanukkah Adds to Season of Celebrations
Family, Joy and Love Remain Top Priorities

CLEVELAND, Dec. 15 -- Beginning at sundown on Dec. 21 and continuing through sundown on Dec. 29, Hanukkah will coincide with a week filled with winter holidays that will be celebrated by approximately 90% of Americans. However, this unusually late start will not distract from the focus of the holiday. In fact, according to American Greetings Corp (NYSE: AM), this year Hanukkah will be celebrated by spending time with friends and family and focusing on what is most important.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that reflects on a miracle that occurred 23 centuries ago and marks the survival of the Jewish nation. It is celebrated with traditions such as lighting candles set in a menorah, playing the dreidel game, exchanging gifts, eating special foods such as potato latkes, and spending time with friends and family.

"As we navigate this year's holiday season, we are seeing a return to the traditions that bring us comfort and warmth. People are really taking the time to think about what's most important in their lives and are sharing those heartfelt sentiments with loved ones," said Pam Fink, senior editor of the L'Chayim To Life! line at American Greetings. "You can see this combination of traditional Hanukkah imagery with an updated conversational style that reflects how we connect with one another today."

Each year, millions of Hanukkah cards are sent, many of which express feelings of joy, love, and warm wishes for a happy holiday. Traditional imagery such as the festive lights of the menorah, dreidels, and the Star of David combined with modern language that resonates with both the sender and recipient allows for consumers to offer a lasting keepsake of the spirit of the holiday.

The collection of L'Chayim To Life! greeting cards and gift card holders celebrating Hanukkah can be found at participating drug chains, grocery stores and super centers nationwide, as well as in American Greetings and Carlton Cards retail stores. Visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com/ for store locations.

About American Greetings Corporation
For more than 100 years American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a manufacturer and retailer of innovative social expressions products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company’s major greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Gibson, and other paper product offerings include, DesignWare party goods, American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards and Date Works calendars. 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, animations, emoticons, text generators, and more 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 $1.8 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets domestically and worldwide, including company owned American Greetings and Carlton Cards stores. For more information on the company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.