When we designed our first holiday line for Paperless Post in 2009, James poured his heart and soul into the collection. Because of the lead time needed he had to do this in the summer, so to get himself into the right mind frame in August, he listened to The Nutcracker as people shuffled unknowingly by his desk to head to their weekends at the beach. He entered the land of Viennese children exchanging presents and sugar plum fairies dancing in the snow.
We were rewarded for his sleepless August nights when we sent a million holiday cards in the month of December, but what America connected with most was a bit different than what he had imagined. His festive offering of holly garlands, golden sleigh bells, dancing reindeer, and whirring dreidels was certainly successful but there was another message people wanted to send.
Far and away, the card that stole the hearts of Paperless Post customers was one called "Champagne Sleigh." Santa Claus is depicted flying through night sky in a chariot pulled by a harnessed team of beautiful, winged, flying... champagne bottles.
Flash forward two more Decembers to last year: our most popular card, by far, was one we subtly called "Let's Get Elfed Up." Each year he has continued to add a pinch of party to the wholesome holiday wonder of the Nutcracker and each year, when the whiskey-guzzling elves outperform the festive wreaths, we know the Holiday Spirit is fully upon us.
So when journalists ask us about holiday stationery trends, we're finally going to be ready with our one word answer: booze!
The holiday season means many different things to each of us but Paperless Post senders have spoken and it seems they're asking for another glass of Steaming Hot Holiday Punch. This year's line of cards perfectly captures the range of the current Holiday Spirit. In the cards we've selected here you'll see it in highball glasses and cartons of egg-nog, but also in the redness of Rudolph's nose and in the heartiness of Santa's chuckle.
Paperless Post and its senders are all about subtle and considered communication, but we also know what you mean when you say "festive" and we are honored to help you memorialize both the beauty, and also the "spirit," of the holidays.
