KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 26, 2011) — Mother’s Day is for giving mom thanks for all she’s given; and now, thanking mom is easier with card innovations fromHallmark. New for Mother’s Day 2011, Hallmark is offering Postage-Paid Greetings — a line of cards that already includes postage. Just sign, seal and send!

“Mother’s Day is an opportunity to pause and celebrate the perfectly, imperfect moments we share with mom 365 days a year — moments that make motherhood and life meaningful,” said Molly Wigand, Hallmark writer. “By offering Postage-Paid Greetings and other innovative cards, Hallmark is making it easier for consumers to celebrate these meaningful moments.”

Hallmark Postage-Paid Greetings feature the U.S. Postal Service’s Intelligent Mail barcode on the front of the envelope. When the cards are processed at a Postal Service facility, the barcode automatically indicates to the Postal Service the postage is paid. The postage is treated like a Forever Stamp, and its value will always be equal to the price of a standard First-Class stamp, regardless of when it’s mailed. There are more than 90 Postage-Paid Greetings specifically for Mother’s Day and more than 200 “everyday” and seasonal Postage-Paid Greetings ranging from $2.69 to $3.99.

For those who want to hand deliver a Mother’s Day card or affix their own stamp, Hallmark offers a variety of innovative card solutions that do not include postage but still offer convenience. Mother’s Day Gift Card Greetings already come with a gift — a $5 or $10 gift card to a variety of destinations. Other cards like Recordable Greetings give mom the gift of personalization — her loved one’s voice. And richly-designed Boutique Greetings, some which come with gem-like adornments, allow consumers to give mom a card as pretty on the outside as she is on the inside.

Hallmark offers more than 900 Mother’s Day cards, including cards from theHallmark Sinceramente and Mahogany card lines, as well as cards for moms, grandmothers, step-mothers, aunts, daughters and other important women.

Mother’s Day Facts
• Mother’s Day is the third-largest card-sending holiday in the United States with 139 million cards exchanged annually.
• Hallmark has been producing Mother’s Day cards since the early 1920s