Exhibit 10(e)(xvii)

                             SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

     This  Settlement  Agreement  is  made  and  entered as of the 18th day of
February, 1997  by and  between Gibson  Greetings, Inc.   ("Corporation")  and
Benjamin J. Sottile ("Executive").

     WHEREAS, Corporation and Executive  entered into an Employment  Agreement
dated April 1, 1993, and

     WHEREAS, Executive's employment terminated on June 15, 1996, pursuant  to
the provisions of Paragraph 6(d) of said Employment Agreement, and

     WHEREAS, the parties desire to settle all claims relating to  Executive's
termination and the Employment Agreement,

     NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

     1.The Corporation  shall continue  Executive's base  salary through March
       31,  1998  at  the  rate  of  $38,333.34 per month subject to customary
       withholdings.   In the  event of  Executive's death  prior to March 31,
       1998,  payment  of  said  base  salary  shall be continued for six full
       calendar  months  after  death  through  March,  1998, whichever occurs
       first;  payments  in  the  case  of  Executive's death shall be made to
       Executive's widow or if deceased to Executive's estate.

     2.The Corporation forthwith shall pay to Executive the sum of $200,000.00
       plus the sum of $34,045.00 for a total of $234,045.00 and both of which
       are subject to  customary withholdings.   In partial consideration  for
       this payment, the Executive's participation in all benefit and  payment
       plans of the Corporation, except to the extent specified in  Paragraphs
       4,  5,  6,   and  8  and   including,  without  limitation,   incentive
       compensation,    vacation,    social    club   memberships,   Pritikin,
       reimbursement for reasonable  business expenses, automobile  (except as
       provided  in  Paragraph  3),  estate  planning  and financial planning,
       outplacement services,  and any  and all  other benefits  available for
       management  level  employees  is  terminated  forthwith with no further
       payments or reimbursements of any sort to be paid to Executive.

     3.The Executive, within 30 days  from the date hereof, shall  be entitled
       to purchase the automobile currently provided to him by the Corporation
       for the sum of $1.00.

     4.The  Corporation  shall  continue  through  March  31, 1998 Executive's
       coverage under medical and health benefit plans of the Corporation  (as
       in effect from time to time for management employees) plus the  special
       supplementary plan currently in effect for Executive.  In the event  of
       Executive's  death  prior  to  March  31,  1998,  coverage  under  this
       Paragraph 4 shall be continued for Executive's widow through said March
       31, 1998.
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     5.The  Corporation  shall  pay  the  $42,000  premium  due  in  1997   on
       Executive's $1,000,000 life insurance  policy and shall pay  $10,500 of
       the payment  due on  said life  insurance policy  in 1998 provided this
       obligation shall cease in the event of Executive's death.

     6.The Corporation's contributions to the Corporation's Retirement  Income
       Plan, Makeup Plan, 401(k) match amount,  and S.E.R.P.  Plan for and  on
       behalf  of  Executive  or  substitute arrangements previously discussed
       with  Executive  shall  be  continued  through  March 31, 1998 or until
       Executive's death, whichever first occurs.  Executive, at his cost, may
       continue  to  participate  until  March  31,  1998 in the Corporation's
       Voluntary Accidental Insurance Plan.

     7.The Executive by this Agreement hereby resigns, effective  immediately,
       as a member of the Board of Directors of Gibson Greetings, Inc.

     8.The Executive hereby waives and  releases the Corporation from any  and
       all claims,  demands and  causes of  action which  Executive has or may
       have against the Corporation and including, without limitation, claims,
       demands  and  causes  of  action  arising  out of his employment by the
       Corporation  or  out  of  the  Employment  Agreement  set  forth  above
       (specifically  including  as  example  claims  to  options  and "golden
       parachute" rights) and also including, but not limited to, any and  all
       actions  for   breach  of   contract,  express   or  implied,  wrongful
       termination in  violation of  public policy,  and all  other claims for
       wrongful termination  and constructive  discharge, and  all other  tort
       claims  including,  but  not  limited  to,  intentional  or   negligent
       infliction of emotional distress, negligence, negligent  investigation,
       negligent  hiring  or  retention,  defamation, intentional or negligent
       misrepresentation,  fraud,  and  any  and  all claims arising under any
       statute,  including  but  not  limited  to,  the  Ohio  Fair Employment
       Practice Act,  Title VII  of the  Civil Rights  Act of  1964, the Civil
       Rights Act of 1991, the  Age Discrimination in Employment Act  of 1967,
       the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act,
       Employee   Retirement   and   Income   Security   Act,  Americans  with
       Disabilities Act, 42  USC Section 1981,  Family and Medical  Leave Act,
       U.S. and Ohio Constitutions, and any and all other laws and regulations
       relating to employment termination, employment discrimination or  other
       retaliation, wages, hours,  benefits, stock options,  compensation, and
       any and all  claims for attorneys'  fees and costs,  but excepting from
       this release any and all rights to reimbursement and indemnification to
       which  Executive  may  be  entitled  as  an  officer or director of the
       Corporation  and  which  are  uniformly  applicable  to officers and/or
       directors.   Executive shall  reasonably cooperate  with Corporation in
       connection with any and all  legal matters in which the  Corporation is
       involved or  in which  the Executive  is involved  as a  result of  his
       service as an officer or director.  Corporation acknowledges that  such
       reimbursement rights include legal fee payments and reasonable expenses
       in conjunction  with shareholder  litigation currently  pending in  the
       Federal  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  Ohio, or in
       connection with any other  litigation falling within the  reimbursement
       indemnification rights set forth above.





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     9.The  Employment  Agreement  dated  April  1,  1993  be and it hereby is
       terminated effectively immediately without further liability of  either
       party thereunder with the  exception that Paragraph 8,  Noncompetition,
       shall remain in full  force and effect to  June 15, 1998 provided  such
       Paragraph 8  shall not  be applicable  to Executive's  employment by  a
       non-greeting card company.

    10.This  Agreement  contains  the  entire  agreement  of  the parties with
       respect to Executive's employment by the Corporation and supersedes any
       prior or simultaneous agreements between them, whether oral or written.

    11.This  Agreement  shall  be  governed  by  and construed and enforced in
       accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.

    12.This Agreement shall be  binding upon and inure  to the benefit of  and
       shall be enforceable by and against the Corporation, its successors and
       assigns, and against the Executive, his heirs, beneficiaries, and legal
       representatives.

    13.Executive acknowledges that he has had the opportunity to consult  with
       an  attorney  prior  to  signing  this  Agreement, and that he has been
       advised and understands  that he has  twenty-one (21) days  in which to
       consider  whether  he  should  sign  this  Agreement,  and  he  further
       understands that he has seven (7) days following the date upon which he
       signs this  Agreement to  revoke it  and that  this Agreement  will not
       become effective until after the seven-day period has elapsed.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF the  parties have  executed this  Agreement as of the
date first above written.



                                      GIBSON GREETINGS, INC. ("Corporation")

                                      BY:/s/ Frank O'Connell
                                         --------------------
                                      Date of Execution:  2/18/97
                                                          ---------


                                      /s/ Benjamin J. Sottile
                                      ------------------------
                                      Benjamin J. Sottile ("Executive")

                                      Date of Execution:  February 18, 1997












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