United States Social Publishing and Gifting - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The United States social publishing and gifting market size is projected to be USD 16.33 billion in 2025, USD 16.56 billion in 2026, and reach USD 17.48 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 1.09% between 2026 and 2031. This report is segmented by Product Category (Greeting Cards, Planners, Notebooks, Calendars, Gift Packaging Products, and More) and Distribution Channel (E-Commerce, and In-Store and Retail). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

United States Social Publishing and Gifting Market Trends and Insights

Seasonal and Occasion-Based Gifting

Seasonal and occasion-based purchases provide a recurring source of demand for the United States social publishing and gifting market. Consumers bought 6.5 billion greeting cards annually, and Christmas accounted for 1.5 billion of those purchases, while Mother's Day ranked as the second-largest occasion. Consumers also purchase cards for Galentine's Day, Diwali, sobriety milestones, recovery anniversaries, and diagnosis-related occasions. The wider range of occasions is linked to younger consumers sending cards outside traditional calendar events. Planners, gift packaging, and seasonal notebooks follow related cycles around back-to-school, the holiday period, and New Year. This longer calendar spreads demand across more of the year and reduces reliance on a small number of seasonal peaks.

Demand for Personalized and Premium Products

Personalization is becoming a standard expectation in the United States social publishing and gifting market. Birthday cards represented 60% of all everyday individual greeting cards sold in the United States, and many include photo printing, name embossing, or customizable messages. Erin Condren introduced its 2026-2027 LifePlanner collection with multiple interior layouts, a Stoney Clover Lane collaboration, upgraded 80-pound paper, and vegan leather cover options. Premium paper, foil accents, and lay-flat binding enable higher-priced planner formats. Foil, laser cutting, embossing, and raised UV coatings also help card makers distinguish products that may otherwise appear similar. Brands that invest in materials and design can reduce exposure to price competition from private-label alternatives, especially when customers treat a product as part of a personal gesture.

Digital Alternatives and Changing Communication Preferences

Digital alternatives remain a restraint for lower-priced and less personal purchases in the United States social publishing and gifting market. Messaging services, social platforms, and electronic card subscriptions give consumers quick ways to recognize an occasion. Boxed holiday cards have declined as personalized and photo-based cards have taken a larger role in seasonal sending. American Greetings launched a Sebastian Maniscalco celebrity SmashUp ecard in August 2026 through its websites and mobile applications, with membership tiers from USD 6.99 to USD 39.99. The launch shows that established card companies are using digital products to serve occasions that might otherwise move to free communication tools. The main exposure remains commodity purchases because premium physical cards and meaningful occasions retain stronger reasons for personalization and presentation.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Consumer Preference for Physical and Tangible Products
• Growth of E-Commerce and Omnichannel Retail
• Paper and Raw Material Cost Volatility

Segment Analysis

Greeting Cards held 45.35% of revenue by product category in 2025. The category benefits from purchases for birthdays, holidays, and everyday occasions across age groups. Birthday cards accounted for 60% of everyday individual cards sold in the United States. Friends received 1 in 3 everyday cards, making them the most frequent recipients. Cards for recovery milestones, pregnancy loss, gender transition, and culturally specific celebrations broaden the range of occasions addressed by the category. These more specific products encourage publishers to develop messages and designs for needs that are not fully served by traditional card assortments. Premium details such as foil, embossing, and specialty coatings support higher-value card purchases. The established volume base gives Greeting Cards a leading role in the United States social publishing and gifting market, even as the mix of occasions changes.

Planners and notebooks are projected to expand at a 1.64% CAGR from 2026 to 2031, making them the fastest-growing product category. The category serves consumers who see analog planning as part of organization, wellness journaling, and personal style. Premium layouts, stronger paper, durable covers, and customization options support its appeal. Notebooks also serve stationery buyers who value design and use these products as lifestyle items. Recycled paper content and FSC certification can influence purchase decisions among customers seeking documented material standards. Calendars have a more mature role, but premium wall-art and artist-designed formats can be bought as decorative items. Gift Packaging Products support coordinated purchases of bags, wrapping paper, tissue, ribbons, and enclosure cards. Other Product Categories include stationery accessories, gift tags, wax seals, and enclosure items that complete an occasion-specific gift set.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Product Category
  • Greeting Cards
  • Planners and Notebooks
  • Calendars
  • Gift Packaging Products
• By Distribution Channel
  • E-commerce
  • In-store and Retail

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• Hallmark Cards, Inc.
• American Greetings Corporation
• Paper Source, Inc.
• Rifle Paper Co.
• Erin Condren, Inc.
• ACCO Brands Corporation
• Moleskine S.p.A.
• Shutterfly, LLC
• Minted, Inc.
• Vistaprint
• DaySpring Cards, Inc.
• Leuchtturm Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG
• Blue Sky The Color of Imagination, LLC
• At-A-Glance by ACCO Brands Corporation
• Passion Planner, Inc.
• Compendium, Inc.
• Avanti Press, Inc.
• Graphique de France, Ltd.
• Great Arrow Graphics, Inc.
• Galison Publishing LLC

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support