DENVER, CO – October 2, 2025 – For 37 years, the Louie Awards have celebrated the very best in greeting card design, innovation, and storytelling. Every so often, the categories evolve to reflect the industry itself. Some updates are about fairness — making sure smaller companies can shine in big categories — while others are about clarity, ensuring cards are grouped in ways that make sense to both entrants and judges.
Greeting cards themselves have also evolved. What used to be broad, one-size-fits-all categories have grown into something far more specific, and often delightfully unexpected. From laugh-out-loud parenting cards to deeply personal notes of grief, the industry now offers a wider range of voices, tones, and occasions than ever before. This year’s category updates reflect that evolution, ensuring the Louies honor the full spectrum of creativity and connection that greeting cards bring.
New: Baby
Cards celebrating births, baby showers, and all things tiny and adorable are such a specific and beloved part of the industry that they deserved a dedicated category. Previously tucked into “Congratulations / Special Occasion,” Baby cards felt too distinct to be grouped with general celebrations.
In recent years, we’ve seen an incredible range of Baby cards emerge from hilarious and tongue-in-cheek designs to deeply specific takes on the joys (and challenges) of parenting. It’s no longer just the classic “new baby” card. Today’s Baby cards reflect the diverse, modern ways we celebrate growing families.
New: Wedding / Engagement
Wedding and engagement cards are such a meaningful part of card giving that they now have a category of their own. They were originally grouped under “Romantic Occasions,” but we recognized that cards for anniversaries or everyday love moments feel very different than those created for life’s biggest commitments. Separating them makes judging fairer, ensuring that an anniversary card and a wedding card aren’t competing head-to-head.
Updated: Sympathy / Grief
The Sympathy category now more clearly includes Grief. This subtle but important update reflects the depth and range of messages that help people through loss whether those cards use gentle words, comforting imagery, or thoughtful design. This includes cards for the loss of loved ones, parents, friends, or even pets.
We’ve also clarified how this category differs from Get Well / Encouragement, which is more intended for uplifting messages and reminders that someone isn’t alone. By drawing a clearer line, both entrants and judges can feel confident that each card is in the right home.
Split: Christmas / Seasonal
The Christmas / Seasonal category — historically one of the largest — has now been split into two: Christmas / Seasonal (General) and Christmas / Seasonal (Small Business).
The card submission guidelines didn’t change, but the split ensures that companies with five employees or fewer can be recognized separately. This mirrors the approach we’ve taken with Birthday cards. Because Christmas is such a competitive category, small businesses often found it tough to stand out. This adjustment creates a fairer playing field while still celebrating the incredible variety of holiday cards.
Clearer Context: Children’s
The Children’s category now comes with more guidance to eliminate confusion about what belongs here. It includes:
- Milestone moments (lost tooth, first day of school, recital, etc.)
- Cards from kids to friends, teachers, or family
- Designs featuring child-friendly humor, illustrations, or messaging
In the past, there was sometimes uncertainty about where these designs fit. By spelling it out, we’re helping entrants place their cards in the right spot, and helping judges compare like with like.
Retired: Valentine’s Day and Trends & Events
Two smaller categories have also been retired this year. Valentine’s Day is now part of Romantic Occasions, which felt like the most natural fit. While Valentine’s Day is still a meaningful holiday, we’ve seen fewer cards that simply say “Happy Valentine’s Day” and more that reflect the specifics of each relationship.
We’ve also retired Trends & Events. Over time, this category no longer served a distinct purpose, as many of the designs that once lived there now fit more appropriately in other, better-defined categories.
The Louie Awards are all about celebrating creativity and connection. These category updates reflect our ongoing commitment to keeping the Louies both inspiring and fair. The hope is to give every kind of card its chance to shine, from the tiniest baby moments to the biggest milestones.
We can’t wait to see what you enter this year.
Full Category List – Want a complete breakdown of all 37th Annual Louie Award categories? Download the PDF here and make sure your entries are in the right spot!
Call for Entries: 2025 Louie Awards – Ready to showcase your cards? Enter the Louie Awards here and join the celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and connection in the greeting card industry!