About Us

Ed Trumble and co-founder Bob Lorenz started selling Christmas cards through the mail to western farmers and ranchers in 1949. Strapped for cash, the two started their business in Colorado by trading art for advertising. While Ed managed the business side of things, Bob, an aspiring young western artist, created a painting for the cover of Western Livestock Magazine. In return, the two entrepreneurs received a full-page ad to promote their Western Christmas cards - all four of them!

Leanin' Tree's first Christmas cards were created in 1949 by artist Bob Lorenz.

The response was overwhelming and the business was officially launched. Bob and Ed literally filled their first orders from shoe boxes stored in a one-bedroom apartment. To make matters more challenging, their first-year profits were nearly wiped out when the local card printer misspelled "Christmas"! Ed Trumble purchased full ownership of the company in 1965 after the untimely loss of co-founder Bob Lorenz to cancer. Leanin’ Tree transitioned from a family-owned company to employee-owned in 2022.

Leanin' Tree has grown from four Western Christmas cards to offer over 2,000 unique greeting cards in a wide variety of themes for everyday occasions and major holidays. Our distinctive cards and gifts have helped folks from all over the world keep in touch with friends and loved ones since 1949.

Leanin’ Tree is located in beautiful, Boulder, Colorado, nestled along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.