SOURCE: Order of St. Nick

December 01, 2008 09:01 ET

Greeting Card Company Order of St. Nick Finds Niche With "Atheist Christmas Cards"

IOWA CITY, IA--(Marketwire - December 1, 2008) - Do atheists celebrate Christmas? Famous atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris do, and humorous greeting card publisher Order of St. Nick is betting that millions more do as well. The company has just expanded its selection of "atheist Christmas cards," available for sale online at www.AtheistHolidayCards.com.

The cards feature a mix of standard atheist iconography such as Charles Darwin and evolutionary monkeys, along with tongue-in-cheek sayings such as "Evolve Your Beliefs." Another card, featuring a red-nosed reindeer, reads, "The red nose isn't weird... It's an evolutionary advantage."

"Nearly 15% of Americans identify themselves as 'non-religious,' but surveys have consistently shown that 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas," says Andrew Shaffer, Order of St. Nick's owner and creative director. "That's nearly 30 million atheists, agnostics, secularists, skeptics, and humanists who are being overlooked by mainstream card companies at this time of the year.

"Christmas is a federal holiday in the United States. Every year it grows increasingly secularized, for better or for worse," says Shaffer. "Rather than feeling like outcasts around the holiday season, it's clear that atheists are already joining in on the celebration. Why not openly embrace them in the spirit of the season?"

Marketing industry maven Brandweek Magazine agrees. "In these new times, everyone should be accommodated in their beliefs and traditions, so there might well be a place for the Order of St. Nick cards," they stated in a December 2007 review of the greeting cards on their online Short Takes column.

"We've tried to keep the cards light-hearted and fun," says Shaffer. "They're not for everyone, but so far the response has been very positive." Scientist PZ Myers has praised the cards on his popular blog, Pharyngula, and two Order of St. Nick designs are featured in the December issue of the U.K.'s STUFF magazine.

Eight different designs in all are available for sale online at www.AtheistHolidayCards.com. Consumers can buy the cards individually for $3.99 or in boxed sets of 10 for $18.99. International shipping options are available; U.K. customers can also order the cards via www.CoolCards.co.uk.

About Order of St. Nick

Order of St. Nick is a greeting card publisher specializing in funny Christmas cards (www.orderofstnick.com). Online orders are fulfilled by Cafepress.com. Order of St. Nick is a privately-owned small business headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa.