In the United States, a Hallmark holiday is a holiday that is perceived to exist primarily for commercial purposes, rather than to commemorate a traditionally or historically significant event. The name comes from Hallmark Cards, a privately owned American company, that benefits from such manufactured events through sales of greeting cards and other items. Holidays that have been referred to as "Hallmark holidays" include Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparents Day, National Son’s Day, National Daughter’s Day, Sweetest Day, Boss's Day, Administrative Professionals' Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, International Women's Day, and International Men's Day.[1] The Hallmark corporation maintains that it "can't take credit for creating holidays."[2]
See also
- Anna Jarvis and Mother's Day
- Christmas in July in the Northern Hemisphere
- Father's Day
- Super Bowl Sunday, an unofficial holiday centered on a commercial product
- Valentine's Day
- List of food days
References
- ^ Wood, Zoe (May 2010). "Birthday Wishes: Hallmark Celebrates a Century of Schmaltz". The Guardian. London. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
- ^ "How a Holiday Becomes A Card Sending Occasion" (Press release). Hallmark Cards. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2007.
While we're honored that people so closely link the Hallmark name with celebrations and special occasions, we can't take credit for creating holidays
Further reading
- Mooney, Linda & Brabant, Sarah (1998). "Off the Rack: Store Bought Emotions and the Presentation of Self". Electronic Journal of Sociology. 3 (4). ISSN 1198-3655.
- Schmidt, Leigh Eric (December 1991). "The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870–1930". Journal of American History. Organization of American Historians. 78 (3): 887–916. doi:10.2307/2078795. JSTOR 2078795.