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Hallmark pulls ‘swastika’ gift wrap

Company apologizes for pattern after receiving complaints it resembled Nazi symbol

By JTA 10 December 2014, 7:30 pm

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NBC4 reports on a gift-wrapping paper print carried by Walgreens, December 7, 2014. (NBC4: screen capture)

Hallmark Cards Inc. ordered a gift wrap with a pattern resembling a swastika to be removed from US stores.

The company issued an apology for the paper on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

“As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we began taking steps to remove the gift wrap from all store shelves and we will ensure the pattern is not used on any product formats going forward,” Hallmark said in a statement. “We sincerely apologize for this oversight and for any unintended offense.”

Hallmark said the silver and blue wrapping paper’s intricate design was meant to represent vessel, and that any embedded swastika design was not intended.

Walgreens announced Monday that it would remove all rolls of the wrapping paper from its shelves nationwide after a woman from the Northridge community of Los Angeles complained Sunday about the swastikas in the design.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes, I had no idea what to do,” Cheryl Shapiro, the distressed shopper, told KNBC in Los Angeles. “I came home and spoke to my rabbi. He couldn’t believe it.”