I’m a bit of a greeting card connoisseur. I get it completely from my mom, who still handwrites out Christmas cards every year. But it’s a passed-down hobby I can’t be mad about. There’s something sweet and special about handwriting a card and giving it to someone else. We’re in a society that’s so overwhelmingly digital that something handwritten is magical.
The perfect holiday to test out this magic is Valentine’s Day. But, if you’ve never written a Valentine’s Day card, it can be a daunting task. So, I created this guide to get you started, and hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll be ready to tell all of your loved ones exactly how you feel through a card.
- Get the Right Card:
I’m a big fan of Marshall’s Valentine’s Day card selection. But, it is incredibly hit or miss, as sometimes they have absolutely nothing. Furthermore, there’s a chance that the cards you find at Marshall’s are cute, if not a bit basic. If you want something more personalized or funny, I’d look at Etsy. Etsy, without any of the rules following that the big box stores do, can be incredibly funny, if not a bit inappropriate. If you have someone in your life that might enjoy something a bit more raunchy, then I’d definitely start here. But… the tricky thing about Etsy is that the cards are on the more expensive side and sometimes the cost of the cards in addition to shipping fees can make ordering from Etsy a bit pricey.
With this in mind, I urge you to possibly make your own valentines. I’m a second semester senior at Fairfield with way too much time on my hands. I’m looking forward to delving back into the world of hand-making valentines, as I was never allowed store-bought ones growing up. My mom believed that anything could be done with a glue stick and some patience. We made little mice with lollipops for tails, we made cameras out of cardstock with a York Peppermint Patty as the lens and we used button candy to make little remote controls. I was always the star of the show for Valentine’s Day, and I want to bring that energy back into 2022.
- The Writing:
More important than the aesthetic of the card, the sentimentality needs to be there. I try my best to pour everything into the card, sometimes by including warm anecdotes of moments that were absolutely nothing to them, but meant a lot to me. Examples could include the time you were overwhelmed with something and they helped you out, or they got you a random iced coffee on a bad day they didn’t know you were having. I think sometimes we feel as if our lives aren’t having an impact in the day-to-day. By reminding someone that your life was made better just because they were kind to you on a random day, you make that person feel like they matter. Which, in my book, is way better than throwing out a random, empty, “I love you and Happy Valentine’s Day!”
But… if sentimentality like that isn’t for you, I’d recommend attempting humor. Lookup a good pun or Valentine’s related joke to write into the card. Making someone laugh on Valentine’s Day is just as important as making them feel loved.
- The Sending of the Card:
There are two ways this can work, and one, in my belief, is supremely better than the other. See, I love the post office. I have loved it since I was little. Something about just standing there in line, looking at the Great Depression Era Works Progress Administration’s piece on the wall while thinking about life, puts me at peace. Therefore I love sending anything I can through the post office. This is especially cool as it allows for additional envelope decoration. There’s nothing more fun than absolutely littering stickers all over a pink envelope. Match that with a little heart stamp and you’re completely golden.
You could always also deliver them in person. This provides the opportunity to give the person a quick hug, say in person “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and wait for their “Awe! Thanks!” But, there’s a good possibility that this might be an awkward experience if they don’t have anything for you. So just to avoid all chances of that, I either mail the card or just leave it somewhere I’ll know they’ll see it and write their name on it!
- Have fun with it!
At the end of the day, anything you do will make a person’s day! If you have fun, be creative and personal with it- you just can’t go wrong.
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