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The White House has selected Hallmark Cards, Inc., for the fourth year in a row, to produce the official 2004 presidential holiday card. The cards will be mailed to friends and family of President and Mrs. George W. Bush, as well as to foreign dignitaries.

The card image is an exclusive design of the Red Room of The White House. The room’s small size and vivid color scheme have become a favorite place for presidents and first ladies over the years.

Pictured right - The 2004 presidential holiday card features a painting by artist Cindi Holt.

Artist Cindi Holt of Fort Worth, Texas, was chosen by President and Mrs. Bush to create the original artwork that is featured on the front of the card. Holt’s paintings have been described as Matisse-like images that are at times whimsical and always sophisticated.

Holt’s painting of the Red Room is reproduced on the card as a tip-on on elegant ecru stock and surrounded by a debossed border. An embossed gold foil presidential seal highlights the insert page.

President and Mrs. Bush selected a Psalm to be incorporated on the card with a brief message.

The message inside the card reads:

Let us come before him with Thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalm 95:2 (NIV)

May songs of joy fill your home with warmth and your heart with happiness this holiday season. 2004

Pictured right - The inside message from President and Mrs. Bush is highlighted by an embossed gold foil presidential seal.

Hallmark’s presidential card project leader Dan Stifter was thrilled to be able to work on the card. “I am honored that Hallmark was once again chosen to help the Bush family continue the important annual tradition of sending holiday cards,” Stifter said. “Card-sending is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends, which is especially important during the holiday season.”

Work began on the holiday card in June when a team from Hallmark began collaborating with President and Mrs. Bush.

History
Hallmark began making Christmas cards for presidents in 1953, when Dwight D. Eisenhower started what has become a White House tradition. The company has created at least one card for each administration with the exception of the Clinton administration. The 2004 card is the 37th official card created by Hallmark for the White House.

In 1982, Hallmark donated its Presidential Christmas Card Collection to the National Museum of American History, a part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Hallmark Visitors Center adjacent to the Kansas City headquarters of Hallmark Cards, Inc., also displays the Presidential Christmas Card Collection.

For more details visit the Hallmark web site.

Visit the WCN Hallmark information pages and message boards.