Christmas cards that resonated

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By the 1920s, Hallmark had introduced stylish, mass-produced with a growing middle class eager to partake in the festive spirit. Today, the greeting card industry owes much of its holiday revenue to the foundation Hallmark laid a century ago. When Marketing Becomes Tradition The candy cane, with its red-and-white stripes, feels intrinsically tied to Christmas. While its origins date back centuries, its widespread popularity in the U.S. surged in the 20th century thanks to clever marketing by confectionery companies.

By packaging and advertising candy canes as quint phone numbers lists essential holiday treats, brands like Bobs Candies ensured their place in Christmas traditions. Similarly, Hershey’s Kisses became synonymous with the holiday season through strategic packaging and advertising. Introduced in 1907, Kisses gained festive flair in the 1960s with the advent of red and green foil wrappers. Seasonal advertising campaigns further cemented their role as holiday staples, from candy dishes to stocking stuffers. A more recent example of marketing shaping tradition is Starbucks’ red holiday cup.

Introduced in 1997, the red cup initially served as a festive redesign of the chain’s standard white cup. However, it quickly became a cultural touchpoint, signaling the start of the holiday season for coffee lovers. Over the years, Starbucks has built extensive holiday campaigns around the red cup, including themed beverages, limited-edition merchandise and social media promotions. As we celebrate the holidays this year, it’s worth pausing to appreciate how these customs came to be. Behind the twinkling lights and festive cheer lies a testament to the power of creativity — not just to sell but to shape how we experience the most wonderful time of the year.