If you’re looking for a Christmas card that’s specifically Edmonton, look no further.
Unhappy Holiday Cards use a bit of sass and a lot of humour to give traditional cards a local twist.
One features an angry Santa Claus swearing while stuck on the Yellowhead. Another shows a miserable snowman waiting at an ETS bus stop when it’s -30 C out. The third card shows a trio of e-scooters on fire, helping to roast chestnuts.
“They are so funny and they’re kind of a funny take on the things that we all experience at Christmastime,” Layna Haley, founder of Kaleo Collective, said.
“They’re a little bit grouchy but in the right kind of way. And they’re just so very Edmonton. Who hasn’t been stuck on the Yellowhead?
“One of the great things about Edmonton is that Edmonton can poke fun at itself. These cards really highlight that. We love them. We think they’re just fabulous.”
Proceeds from the cards, created by digital marketing agency SOS Media, will support Kaleo Collective, a charity that provides resources and emotional support for single mothers in Edmonton.
“It’s all about strengthening our communities by strengthening and helping support single moms so they’re able to realize their potential. They’re able to better their lives and in turn, their children’s lives,” Haley said.
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Specifically, funds will support Kaleo Collective’s Adopt-A-Mom program, which links donors with the women they’re helping.
“It’s really great for the moms to be able to have somebody that’s championing them from the sidelines,” Haley said. “And, as a donor, it’s really beautiful to get to see the actual person that’s being impacted by your donation.”
SOS Media has become the program’s first official donor partner.
Cheyenne Lanouette attended Kaleo Collective’s programming when she was pregnant with her daughter.
“They had a bunch of different programs each week — do-it-yourself projects, financing, legal,” she said.
When she had her baby Octavia, Lanouette found value in being surrounded by others who understood what she was going through.
“It gives me a chance to have a little bit of ‘me time,’ where she’s not on me, and I can pawn her off on Layna and other people that need some baby cuddles,” Lanouette said.
“But at the same time, I’m still getting to know other people, I don’t feel so isolated, away from everybody and stuck at home. I can actually go out and have somewhat of a social life.”
Haley was motivated to start the charity after experiencing single motherhood herself at 16.
“When I was a single mom, I had key people in my life that really helped changed the trajectory of my life and helped me realize who I was supposed to be as a woman, and that gave me the opportunity to be exactly who I needed to be for my son.”
You can purchase the Unhappy Holiday Cards online until Dec. 20 or in person at SOS Media downtown or Creative Hive in the west end.
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