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NEWS TOP STORY on December 24. It should be better than last year, but not convinced it will end up like the 2021 bonanza.” Sally Matson, owner of Red Card in Petworth is holding steady on the Christmas card sales front. “Our sales of packs and singles are just about the same as last year’s levels as of now.” Up in Edinburgh, Michael Apter, owner of Paper Tiger revealed that its like-for-like sales are broadly on a par “or even slightly up.” Michael said its “single card sales are holding up well so” in his three stores, but pays tribute to card publishers for the sustainable changes they have made to their packaged cards which has seen some customers shift to boxed cards. “They offer better value for money, but now also look better, merchandise better, and feel like a more substantial purchase,” says Michael. Staying north of the border, Sarah Holmes, owner of Pencil Me In, in Elgin said her single card sales are “going well”, but has already sold out of the small selection of boxed cards. “I was swithering over whether to order more, but I have!”
Christmas Jingles Cardies go all out to stir up festive feelings As PG went to press, in early December, there was still a lot to play for on the Christmas trading front, but certainly the whole industry has been stirring up the festive feeling with the consumer, at retail, in care homes and with MPs and in the media. Above: The Red Card Christmas window. Right: One of the Paper Tiger stores in “It’s all really starting to its festive finery. ramp up. Single card sales are very strong. So glad we Cards, the Home Counties group of seven are not blighted by postal strikes this year,” stores, hopes that its “record sales of commented Mark Janson-Smith, managing Advents” bodes well for a decent director of the Postmark group of 15 Christmas. “We have never known anything stores. “However, having bucked the trend like it on the Advents front, no doubt helped in the last few years on pack sales, this by so many high profile beauty brands year in line with many others our sales of promoting their take on Advents,” suggests packaged cards are down, but we are Miles. “It is a bit of a mixed bag at the hoping our uplift in single cards will moment, but Christmas trade has definitely compensate for this.” started picking up so we are cautiously Miles Robinson, co-owner of House of optimistic as to where we will be sales wise
Caring at Christmas and Festive Friday double hit Under the GCA’s overarching #Cardmitment banner, the Festive Friday and Caring at Christmas initiatives have been banging the drum loud and clear to promote Christmas card sending this year. Festive Friday, which fell this year on December 1, with those in the card community engaging with the GCA initiative to kickstart Christmas cards sending. Among these was House of Cards, which this year saw the Home Counties retailer paying for the postage on over 1,000 cards that were written by its team to send their friends and loved ones on Festive Friday. “It is a great initiative, something that we have always supported as it is at the very heart of what we do as an industry,” said Nigel Williamson, co-owner of House of Cards. The GCA’s Caring At Christmas initiative has gathered great steam among cardies who have been spreading lots of festive cheer to those in care homes the length and breadth of the UK, sitting down with residents as they write Christmas cards to their loved ones. The initiative has been spearheaded by Five Dollar Shake co-owner and md Matt Genower based on his experiences last year when he and his colleagues visited his father-in-law in a care home, armed with a selection of Christmas cards. With 400,000 elderly residents in over 11,000 care homes across the UK who are always looking for interesting activities this year, extending the Top: Roger la Borde’s Caring concept to all GCA members has seen cardies from Fortrose at Christmas activity. in the north of Scotland down to the south coast, taking Above left: The GBCC team readying for its Caring at supplies of Christmas cards into their local care homes to Christmas event at a care home. create card writing events. Above right: At Cardgains’ Festive Friday event, Helen McManus (front) with (left“BBC Radio Sussex & Surrey interviewed me recently, to right) Melanie Craine, Nicola Buck, talk Christmas card writing in care homes,” Matt told PG, “I Deborah Beedham and Kerry Barrett. was banging the drum loud and clear! “On the back of it, we’ve had some really positive feedback from members of the public including asking if they too can volunteer to take cards into care homes for the elderly. Food for thought for next year.” In addition to Five Dollar Shake, Abacus, Woodmansterne Publications, Roger la Borde and GBCC are among those to have embraced Caring at Christmas this year so far.
Second Nature distributes Scribbler and Quilling Card In addition to launching its largest ever selection of 3D greeting cards, across several new ranges, Second Nature has also become the UK distributor for a selection of Scribbler cards for indies as well as for a selection of beautiful quilled cards from Quilling Card. (See pages 33-35).
Above: A selection of Scribbler cards is now available from Second Nature.
The London Studio Artists Collective debuts in Ryman Design There are three stores open under the new Ryman Design retail concept, in London’s Marble Arch, Bishopsgate and in Birmingham Grand Central. In addition to a vast array of design-led stationery, the trio of stores also includes an expansive greeting card selection. Among the latest to debut is The London Studio Artists Collective, a collection of Christmas designs by a selection of contemporary artists and small publishers, which is the brainchild of Soula Zavacopolous, founder of The London Studio. Above: The Ryman Design store in Marble Arch.
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