Halloween

2008 Product News

• Hallmark offers more than 350 Halloween cards, including cards for children, humor cards, and even cards from the dog or cat.

• The line includes Cards With Sound featuring popular songs such as “Le Freak” by Chic, as well as Hollywood and TV clips from shows such as “Best of Both Worlds,” by Miley Cyrus and the “Addam’s Family Theme.” A Recordable Card With Music utilizes the latest sound-chip technology to allow the sender to record a 10-second personal message that plays before the pre-recorded song that’s included on the card.

• Other innovative designs include Spin-a-Majigs with parts that move by the turn of a crank, and Lenticular cards that provide a fully animated scene using 48 photographic frames taken in sequence — having the effect of a two second video clip.

• Eighteen new Sugar Hi cards combine popular candy with greeting cards.

• To add a bit of humor during this election year, four cards feature well-known politicians dressed in Halloween costumes. 

• Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF collection boxes are available free at Hallmark Gold Crown stores again this year. Created by kids in 1950, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a way for kids to Make Halloween Count©. Now in its 58th year, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has empowered generations to save children’s lives around the world during the Halloween season for UNICEF. To date, more than $140 million has been raised. In addition, Hallmark Gold Crown stores offer a UNICEF Halloween boxed card design.

•  The Tremblin’ Toads animated plush toads in a cauldron sing a duet about their fear of the evil witch returning. The toads’ mouths move in synchronization with the music as they shake in fear, and blinking lights in the cauldron provide a bubbling effect. It is available at Hallmark Gold Crown® stores for a special price with the purchase of three Hallmark cards.

• Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments offers Halloween ornament designs plus several ways to display the ornaments. This year's Peanuts Gang ornament set captures the Halloween Party and can sit on a table. The Zoinks! It's a Ghost! ornament set features Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and a ghost. Several designs featuring “The Nightmare Before Christmas” also are available.

• Spooky voices in the Tombstone Candy Presenter dare guests to take a treat.

• Halloween stuffed animals feature a talking Scooby-Doo and Snoopy jumping out of a jack-o-lantern.

• Hallmark Gold Crown stores also offer one-stop shopping for Halloween decorating needs with items such as unique candy presenters, room decorations, gift and treat bags, paper partyware, and stickers  

Holiday History

Halloween is a secular celebration based on ancient Druid customs, dating back to 700 B.C. The Druids, a Celtic religious order in ancient Britain, Ireland and France, believed that the souls of the dead returned to mingle with the living on “hallowed eve.” People dressed in costumes to disguise themselves from these spirits.

Halloween first was celebrated in the United States in the 1840s, when Irish Catholics, fleeing from the potato famine, brought Halloween customs with them to America. The tradition of carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns originated with Irish children who carved out the centers of rutabagas, turnips and potatoes and placed candles inside.

The first Halloween cards in the U.S. were produced in 1908. Hallmark produced its first Halloween cards in the 1920s along with a limited line of Halloween party accessories, such as nut cups and bridge tallies. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Hallmark began producing Halloween centerpieces, masks, children’s things, and paper partyware items.

In Stores

Available at Hallmark Gold Crown® stores nationwide and wherever Hallmark products are sold. Use the store locator on Hallmark.com to find the nearest Hallmark Gold Crown store.