EXHIBIT 10.6**AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION EXECUTIVE THIRD PARTY OPTION AGREEMENT**     THIS AGREEMENT, effective as of the ___day of ___, ___(the “Award Date”), isbetween American Greetings Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”), and___(hereinafter referred to as the “Participant”).WITNESSETH:     WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the American Greetings Corporate Executive Third Party OptionPlan (the “Plan”), which was adopted by the Company (“Board”) on ___, 2002, pursuant toan amendment of the American Greetings Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, and whichprovides for the grant of options to certain employees of the Company to purchase shares of mutualfunds (the “Shares”) as listed in Appendix A as attached hereto;     WHEREAS, the Participant has been selected by the Board to participate in the Plan, inaccordance with the provisions thereof;     WHEREAS, the Participant has been awarded an option on the Award Date; and     WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to evidence in writing the terms and conditions of theoption.     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreementsherein contained and as an inducement to Participant to continue as an employee of the Company, theparties hereto hereby agree as follows: 1. The Company awards to Participant on the Award Date this option (“Option”) topurchase from the Company, on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in thePlan, all or any part of the number of Shares listed in Appendix A (attached hereto)at the option price per Share equal to fifty percent (50%) of the fair market value ofthe underlying Share at the Award Date. The option exercise price thereafter shalladjust to 50 percent (50%) of the fair market value of the shares as of the closingprice each business day. Notwithstanding, the Option Price shall not at any time belower than 25 percent (25%) of the fair marketvalue of a Share on the date of grant of the Option. The grant of this Optionis effective on the Award Date.
 

 
 2. The Option shall vest immediately upon grant. If this Option Agreementcovers base salary, then it shall govern all option awards with respect to base salaryfor the calendar year.  3. This Option may be substituted in full or in part or may be exercised in fullduring the term of this Option. An Option shall be exercisable or may be substitutedat any time during the plan year, but limited to once monthly. For each suchexercise, the Participant must exercise that portion of the Option that is not lessthan one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market value of the underlying Shares atthe date of exercise. For each such substitution, the Participant may substitute thatportion of the Option that is equivalent to the fair market value of the underlyingShares at the date of substitution in ten percent (10%) increments. The term of theoption will be ___years from the date of grant. Upon the Participant’sseparation from service with the Company without cause or due to retirement, death ordisability, or voluntary resignation, the exercise period generally will end on thetenth anniversary of the termination of employment or the full original term of theoption, whichever occurs first. Should the Participant’s employment be terminated bythe Company with cause, then the exercise period will end on the first anniversary ofthe termination of employment, or the full original term of the option, whicheveroccurs first.  4. Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control as defined inthe Company’s Employee Stock Option Plan, the executive’s options shall remainexercisable for the remaining term of the option.  5. In order to exercise this Option, or to substitute other Options for thisOption as provided in Paragraph 17 of the Plan, the Participant must deliver writtennotice to the Company of her/his intent to exercise or substitute seven (7) days priorto the desired date of exercise or substitution. The written notice must be addressedto                 at One American Road, Cleveland, OH, 44144, and will be deemeddelivered to the Company on the date of postmark by first class U.S. Mail. TheCompany will process the exercise or substitution as soon as practicable. In no eventshall any transfer, substitution, or payment due to the participant from the sale ofshares otherwise deliverable be made later than ten (10) days after the desired dateof exercise.  6. Upon exercise, the option price is payable either in cash or, at the electionof the Participant, in Shares otherwise due to the Participant by
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   exercise of thisOption. Upon exercise of this Option in full, the Option Agreement shall besurrendered to the Company for cancellation. Upon payment of the option price, theCompany shall deliver the Shares or cash to the Participant as soon asadministratively feasible.  7. The Company may make such provisions and take such steps as it may deemnecessary or appropriate for the withholding of any taxes which are required by anylaw or regulation of any governmental authority, whether federal, state or local,domestic or foreign, to withhold in connection with any Option, including, but notlimited to, the withholding of the issuance of all or any portion of such Shares untilthe Participant reimburses the Company for the amount the Company is required towithhold with respect to such taxes, canceling any portion of such issuance in anamount sufficient to reimburse itself for the amount it is required to so withhold, ortaking any other action reasonably required to satisfy the Company’s withholdingobligation.  8. This Option and the rights and privileges conferred herewith shall not besold, transferred, encumbered, hypothecated or otherwise anticipated by theParticipant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Optionis not liable for or subject to, in whole or in part, the debts, contracts,liabilities, or torts of the Participant, nor shall it be subject to garnishment,attachment, execution, levy or other legal or equitable process.  9. The Participant (or his executor, administrator or beneficiary, should theParticipant be deceased) may transfer at any time all or any of the shares acquiredpursuant to the exercise of the Option (whether or not the Participant is thenemployed by the Company).  10. Subject to the limitations on the transferability of this Option, thisagreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legalrepresentative, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.  11. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall begoverned by the laws of Ohio.  12. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shallnot affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision, and all otherprovisions shall remain in full force and effect.
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 13. The Participant accepts this Option subject to all the provisions of thePlan, which are incorporated herein, including the provisions that authorize the Boardto administer and interpret the Plan and that provide that the Board’s decisions,determinations, and interpretations with respect to the Plan are final and conclusiveon all persons affected thereby.     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this agreement as of the day and yearfirst above written.       **AMERICAN GREETINGSCORPORATION**       By:              Title:                 Participant