Enhance Enjoyment, Thoughtfulness and Savings This Season With American Greetings

Contact: Frank Cirillo or Meghan Olmstead, 216.252.4938

Cleveland, Ohio (November 2009) – The holidays are right around the corner and that means consumers are beginning to turn their attentions toward the fun annual practices of shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating and getting together with friends and family. We all look forward to these traditions each season, and this year shoppers can actually make them even more entertaining and efficient. In fact, according to Rochelle Lulow, holiday etiquette expert at American Greetings Corp (NYSE: AM) there are many ways for celebrants to enhance their enjoyment, thoughtfulness and savings this season with just a little creativity.

Lulow has been with the greeting card company for more than 25 years, working to uncover the intricacies of relationships and traditions, and what makes them so important to us. Through this work, Lulow and her team have received some wonderfully useful hints, tips and suggestions on making every occasion more enjoyable, creative and even affordable.

“Consumers want to keep the fun and togetherness of the season intact, and there are many ways they can do that while still making efficient decisions” said Lulow. “By using a little ingenuity and collaboration you can make the holidays more enjoyable for everyone, including yourself.”

Here are some tips from Lulow to ensure the happiest, and most stress free, holiday season ever.

• Make a list and check it twice: Every year we try to outdo ourselves from the previous holiday season in terms of gift giving. This year, start your preparations by making a master list of everyone you need to shop for, what you got them last year and what you want to get for them this season. This will help you to choose a gift that is sure to be loved by everyone on your list, and the gifts you have purchased in the past can even spur ideas for those who you are drawing a blank on. By making and sticking to your list, you can also more efficiently manage your budget and ensure you stay on target.

• Find your inner early bird: Getting started early is a typical holiday tactic, and with good reason. By starting your shopping early you can find the best deals, but also the very best selection, ensuring both you and your recipient are happy. Also, by getting your holiday chores started earlier, you will have even more time to unwind with family and friends later on.

• A new holiday get together: This season make gift wrapping and baking more fun, efficient and economical by getting together with friends and family. Hosting or attending a gift-wrapping or baking party will certainly make the annual practices more enjoyable, but it can also help with the thoughtfulness of your presentation, and tastiness of your dishes, as you share ideas and recipes. In addition to the enjoyment and creativity you will add, you can also reduce your costs by sharing resources.

• Neighborhood decorating party: You know you have seen them, those houses who exchange in the annual (yet unofficial) decoration contest to see who can outdo the other. This year, bring that cheerful competitive spirit to everyone in your area by organizing a decorating block party. Encourage everyone to decorate and share décor and lights to ensure brilliant, unique displays. Working together, you can also help to watch energy bills by coordinating a time every night for everyone to turn those lights on to give those driving by a festive site to see.

• Lighten up gatherings with a dash of creativity: One of the most enjoyable parts of the holidays is getting together with friends, family and colleagues. This season, you can make get togethers even more enjoyable with a few subtle enhancements. Rather than coordinating a large dinner party, offer appetizers using unique taste combinations and other snacks for refreshments. Your guests will definitely appreciate the light menu after weeks of heavy meals. Also, cut down on your bar to feature only a few varieties, and offer seasonally inspired non-alcoholic drinks. The creative alternatives will impress your guests, and with them likely driving, this is a much more responsible suggestion. By going with a lighter menu and bar, you can also cut your costs, while making the get together even more creative and fun for you and your guests.

For even more ideas on how to integrate some creativity into your holiday activities, visit www.corporate.americangreetings.com. You can also follow us 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.