hallmark-holiday
noun phrase

- a holiday that is perceived to exist primarily for commercial purposes, rather than to commemorate a traditionally or historically significant event

- an ostensible holiday, or, by extension, any occasion, invented or popularized for profit

- a phrase used to refer to a holiday that’s perceived as having been created or as being promoted primarily as a way to make money on things sold as part of its observance, such as greeting cards and candy

Wikipedia / YourDictionary / Dictionary dot com

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WORD ORIGIN

“Hallmark” stems from 1721, as the official stamp of purity in gold and silver articles, from Goldsmiths’ Hall in London, the site of the assay office. The more general sense as a “mark of quality” is from 1864.

“Hallmark-holiday” is derived from Hallmark Cards, a privately owned American company founded in 1910. The company benefits from manufactured events through sales of greeting cards and other items. Holidays that have been referred to as "Hallmark-holidays” include Grandparents Day, Sweetest Day, National Boss Day, and Secretaries’ Day (now named Administrative Professionals Day).

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THE SHRINKING MARKET

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for greeting cards estimated at US$15.9 billion in the year 2022, is projected to shrink to US$13.6 Billion by 2027.

This is the result of an increasing need to save trees and reduce waste, coupled with a tech-savvy new generation favouring e-cards in place of physical greeting cards.

Despite environmental challenges and the popularity of social media messaging, there still exists a niche market for physical greeting cards, albeit a shrinking one. For this niche group of consumers, a physical, handwritten greeting card means much more than a Facebook or WhatsApp message, or an e-card.

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TODAY IS VETERANS DAY

The United States observes Veterans Day on November 11th each year. This public holiday pays homage to U.S. Armed Forces veterans. Formerly it was called "Armistice Day".

November 11th signifies the anniversary of the end of the World War I, when the Armistice signed with Germany took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. Other countries that are celebrating the memorial call it "Remembrance Day" or "Armistice Day".

Hallmark Cards first offered Veterans Day cards in 2002. The company had tested Veterans Day cards in 1985 and 1999 but found little consumer interest. Much of this changed after a resurgence in patriotism following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Just in case you are wondering why the “s” in Veterans Day is written without an apostrophe, it’s because it’s a plural noun and not a possessive noun. The day does not belong to veterans; rather, it is a day to honour all veterans, not only those who gave up their lives during World War I.

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Did you know that today, November 11th, is ‘Veterans Day’ and not a manufactured HALLMARK HOLIDAY?"

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HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-3

and,

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40