Internet - Lucky Break Wishbone

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S E L L I N G
CHRISTMAS
ECORATION
D
S
An Edgell Publication
www.sellingchristmas.com
March 2005
Christmas
and the
Internet
•Reps Look Ahead
•Partyware Trends
Paper and party goods p.30
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Page 30
TRENDSpartyware
stylish paper
New colors, images and products are enlivening the
holiday partyware and paper goods category in 2005
By Julie Ritzer Ross, Contributing Editor
A
Party Express
From Hallmark
(Circle No. 250)
ny product that saves time is a hit with
busy contemporary Americans. Thus,
the increasing popularity of Christmas
partyware and paper goods.
“More and more, the Christmas season is filled
with family Christmas traditions, work holiday
parties, neighborhood gatherings and school parties,” says Debbie Beer, marketing director,
Unique Industries. And for party-givers, she
notes, paperware has become the key to making
get-togethers simple to plan and execute, yet
interesting and exciting.
Today’s consumers love the ease of paper, but they
also want their parties to be special. It is for this reason
that suppliers are offering a wider variety of unique looks that can Party Partners
help make a party memorable. Sarah Meyer, group product manager, sea- (Circle No. 251)
sonal, Creative Expressions/A Solo Cup Company, is among the observers
who notes that consumers are very receptive to more exciting holiday goods.
As is true in the Christmas card and giftwrap segments, vendors are answering such a call in part by taking an innovative, novel approach to graphics. Here,
traditional motifs like poinsettias, holly, wreaths, trees and ornaments are being
combined with less Christmas-specific stylistic flourishes for a distinctive appearance. “Poinsettia Plaid,” slated for introduction this year by
Party Express From Hallmark, constitutes a key example: It comprises
poinsettia set against a plaid background. The “family-friendly” design
was the number-one pattern among a number of options tested recently by the company, according to Jeannie Pemberton, product planner
for Party Express.
Similarly, Converting Inc., is rolling out “The Greatest Gift” by artist
Teresa Kogut, a paperware pattern depicting snowmen against a
background of inspirational messages. The company’s
“Holiday Candy” pattern will be a mix-and-match design centered on realistic-looking Christmas candies and shimmery
metallic shades, which, again, echo the trend toward metallics
in greeting cards, giftwrap and the larger categories of holiday
and general home décor.
Vendors are also capitalizing on consumers’ desire for fresh
Christmas partyware by incorporating new colors, shapes and other
“extras” into their designs. This, notes Sue List, senior brand manager, Converting, Inc., is a viable means of acknowledging the fact that
the “diversity in how people celebrate (Christmas) calls for a variety
of looks to accommodate every taste level and lifestyle.”
30 Selling Christmas Decorations March 2005
www.sellingchristmas.com
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Page 31
Appropriately, “Bastin Wreath,“ created by artist Marjolein Bastin for Party
Express From Hallmark, features some earthy hues and, Pemberton states, is
targeted toward individuals who like to “bring the outdoors into their homes.”
Lushly detailed Christmas tree ornaments in rich jewel tones are featured on
Converting’s “Ornamental” design.
Meanwhile, each ensemble within Creative
Expressions’ “Trend” line touts multiple choices of plate
and napkin sizes and shapes, allowing consumers to
easily mix and match pieces to create their own
looks, Meyer says. Several ensembles offer both
square and round plates for enhanced flexibility.
Based on the popularity of its “shaped” plates,
Creative Expressions has also added a poinsettiashaped plate that coordinates with several patterns within its line.
Wishbones for holiday
parties from Lucky
Break Wishbone Corp.
(Circle No. 253)
Different Strokes, Different Folks
Equal attention is also being paid to offering
Christmas
partyware intended to cater to specific market
Cracker
niches. The upscale consumer segment, where an
from Walpert
element of richness is important, ranks among them.
Industries
For individuals seeking plates and other goods with a
(Circle No. 254)
sophisticated bent, Party Express From Hallmark commissioned
Santa balloon from
artist Martha Negley to design a pattern called “Holly and Berries.” It features
CTI Industries
handpainted holly berry branches and leaves, bright reds with subtle green
(Circle No. 257)
hues, a rich ivory backdrop and a touch of black and gold accents.
Creative Expressions offers plates with thick rims reminiscent of china dinnerware. Some rims have an embossed component, again dovetailing with the trend
toward combining patterns and textures to create a rich look.
Louder cries for paperware designed especially for
children’s and/or casual family or neighborhood parties
are also being answered. Unique’s new brightly colored “Twinkle Santa” and “Snowman Glee” patterns
are larger-scale and simplified to appeal to the juvenile market.
Converting, Inc., now offers “Classic Christmas,” featuring a traditional Christmas tree. “Merry and Bright,”
which along with “Bastin Wreath” and “Holly and
Berries” is among three new patterns to be unveiled by
Party Express From Hallmark, has a contemporary bent and is
rendered in traditional Christmas reds and greens. “It offers a
light-hearted approach to holiday entertaining,” Pemberton states.
“Its design appeals to both young and mature consumers and is a
great choice for casual get-togethers, cocktail parties and the
increasingly popular “cookie exchange” parties.
Going All Out
Finally, a heightened tendency among consumers to go “all out”
when giving Christmas parties without making Herculean efforts to
find items that make events special is adding to the list of paper
and partyware staples and opening the doors for new product catConverting, Inc.
(Circle No. 252)
Selling Christmas Decorations March 2005 31
Paper and party goods p.30
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Page 32
egories. “(People) definitely want to go beyond the plate and napkin,”
purports Meyer.
She says Creative Expressions has had “great response” to tableware
designs that have been broadened into “programs” through the addition
of coordinating disposable serving trays, cork-backed coasters, napkin
rinks, place cards, spreaders and more. The company has also introduced giant Christmas-themed party murals consumers can affix to walls
for parties and to use as a backdrop for holiday photographs; as well as
scrapbooking kits that
coordinate with tableware patterns.
For the first time,
Party Express From
Hallmark is offering
matching or coordinating table covers for all of
its paperware patterns,
as well as guest towels
and paper handkerchiefs
Unique Industries, Inc.
(Circle No. 255)
that match each design.
Unique Industries has come out with a Christmas confetti assortment that may be sprinkled on buffet tables. Available as well are new
Christmas piñatas in Santa Claus, snowman, tree, wreath and reindeer
designs; these are being promoted as festive centerpieces, Beer says.
Also adding to the holiday fun are novelty items such as Lucky Break
Wishbone Corp.’s after-holiday-dinner wishbones and, from Walpert
Creative
Industries, Christmas crackers, a traditional item being rediscovered
Expressions
by party enthusiasts. (Circle No. 256)
32 Selling Christmas Decorations March 2005
Circle No. 123 on Product Info Card
www.sellingchristmas.com