Have a Devilish Halloween

Black and yellow text next to an illustration of a red and pink devil, with a black and orange flame background.   

Halloween's celebrated holiday is the evening before the Christian All Hallows Day/ All Saints Day. Halloween, also known as Hallows Eve, celebrations in America include dressing up as scary or devilish characters and going from house to house peddling candy under the phrase, "Trick or Treat."

Hallmark began in 1910, when Joyce Clyde Hall started selling postcards. He had little money – not even enough to take a horse-drawn cab to his lodgings at the YMCA – but he had an entrepreneurial spirit and the determination of a pioneer. Hall quickly made a name for himself with the picture postcards he sold.  Rollie Hall joined his brother in business, and the company was named Hall Brothers. On Jan. 11, 1915, a fire destroyed their office and inventory. They took the only salvageable item – their safe – and set up shop again. With $17,000 in debt, they decided to press onward. As postcard sales declined, they recognized the public’s desire for more privacy in their communication, so they started offering high-quality valentines and Christmas cards mailed in envelopes. The fateful fire resulted in the decision to buy printing presses and Hallmark begin producing their own greeting cards in 1915. Hallmark now employs in-house designers and writers to create exclusive content, however, the average person may still get their design seen by the corporation through ongoing monthly contests.