The old saying goes, “Money can’t buy you love.” Although most would agree with this statement, it seems that many Americans feel money can buy you a Valentine.
According to a poll done by USA Today, 18.2 billion dollars were spent by consumers last Valentine’s Day. Besides spending on the traditional gifts of candy and flowers, Valentine gifts have grown in recent years to include jewelry, clothing, trips, and even gift cards. But the most traditional, and inexpensive signs of affection for a Valentine has been the greeting card.
The first Valentine’s day greeting card dates back to 15th century France, when Feb. 14 had become an annual feast day celebrating romantic love.
While imprisoned in the Tower of London during the Valentine feast, the Duke of Orleans wrote a romantic Valentine note to his wife. This note is considered by many historians to be the first written Valentine greeting.
But it wasn’t until the 18th century that sending Valentine poems and cards became popular. Handmade cards were made by lovers, and then secretly slipped under doors or tied to door knockers. The only signature would be “from your Valentine.”
The first printed cards began to appear in Georgian Britain, in the late 1700s. These cards would be printed with flowers and cupids surrounding a romantic verse.
It was during the Victorian era, with the rapid advance of printing and manufacturing, that mass produced Valentine cards became wildly popular. Victorian Valentines featured elaborate paper lacework and embossing, with a large array of designs and sentiments. The most popular designs of the time were flowers, love knots, animals and cupids, but not the red heart that is featured on Valentines of today.
Not all Victorian cards were romantic. There was a line of cards known as “Vinegar Valentines.” These cards were designed to insult the recipient. They would point out one's faults, rather than one’s tributes, such as gossiping, drinking too much, or physical faults like baldness or unattractiveness. This was also the start of the humorous Valentine cards that are still popular today.
As technology advanced, cards were produced more cost effectively, thus becoming more popular as they became more affordable. In 1913, Hallmark Cards went into production, becoming a key development in the commercialism of Valentine’s Day.
The Valentine’s greeting card is now second only in sales to the Christmas card. The greeting card industry totaled $849,000,000 in sales in 2018, and is expected to grow this Valentine’s season.
We are all familiar with the store bought traditional greeting card. They are eye catching, simple and to the point, with a greeting and artwork on the front, and a sentiment inside. But you can now also find cards that play music when you open them , or even allow you to record your own message. They also come in a variety of sizes from four inches tall, up to two feet tall.
One of the latest crazes in greeting cards is the pop up card. Pop up cards are not such a new idea, but new companies, such as LovePop, have taken the pop up card to the next level. These keepsake cards come at a cost, starting at $13 up to $20, but open up to magical, intricate, paper cut-out works of art. They feature designs such as a vase of roses, a blossoming cherry tree, or even a cute teddy bear.
Hallmark has also thrown their “crown” into the new pop up card ring with their new Paper Wonder card series. These cards feature romantic scenes that open and expand for displaying. Not quite the intricate pop up surprise of the LovePop cards, but they are a bit more affordable at a price of $8.99 per card, but still more expensive than a traditional greeting card.
Remember the little paper Valentines you would deliver to all the cardboard mailboxes in your classroom as a kid? Everyone would hand out the same three little cards with hearts or butterflies printed on them with a catchy verse like “Have a Groovy Valentine’s Day!” (Am I dating myself?!?)
Now kids can buy boxed Valentines that come printed with your favorite movie, superhero, or cartoon character and have matching candy, pencils, or tattoos that attach to the card. Does anything say “Happy Valentine’s Day” better than a Spongebob tattoo?!
If you have a tech savvy Valentine, you may want to go with an E card. You can find a large selection online from websites such as AmericanGreeting.com or Punchbowl.com. It is also great fun to send an animated E card from websites like JibJab.com or Doozycards.com.
JibJab allows you to upload photos onto you E card, to get that personalized touch. Many of these site are free or a small fraction of the cost of sending traditional cards, and since you send them through email, there is no postage charge.
If you are a frequent card sender, you may want to join a membership website like JacquieLawson.com. For a small annual membership fee, you can send unlimited animated E cards for the duration of your membership.
Interfacing on the internet isn’t for everyone. Although you may take budget into consideration, many people still have that old school feeling that a handmade card can usually be the most meaningful gift to the recipient. Knowing that someone put thought, time and effort into making a Valentine card in our fast-paced world, can often hold much weight when it comes to matters of the heart.
There is lots of help available online for those who lack in the arts and crafts abilities. Try Etsy.com for ideas, or websites like www.bhg.com (Better Homes and Garden) or www.nobiggie.net for step by step instructions to create the perfect card.
Valentine’s Day is Thursday, Feb. 14. It really doesn’t matter if you email your Valentine card, mail it, buy it or make it, so long as you don’t forget it!
