First a little history on Valentine's Day Cards
Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages, a time when prospective lovers said or sang their romantic verses. Written valentines began to appear after 1400. Paper valentines originated in the 1500s, being exchanged in Europe and being given in place of valentine gifts and oral or musical valentine greetings. They were particularly popular in England. The first written valentine (formerly known as "poetical or amorous addresses") is traditionally attributed to the imprisoned Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1415. While confined in the Tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt, the young Duke reportedly passed his time by writing romantic verses for his wife in France. Approximately sixty of the Duke's poems remain and can be seen among the royal papers in the British Museum. They are credited with being the first modern day valentines.
By the Sixteenth Century, written valentines were commonplace and by the Seventeenth Century, it was a widespread tradition in England and other Western countries for friends and sweethearts to exchange gifts and notes on February 14.
Today, a valentine card is usually accompanied by the more elaborate gifts of candy, flowers and perfume. Nevertheless, Valentine's Day Cards remain extremely popular and are manufactured on an enormous scale...cards may be purchased for sweethearts, spouses, children, parents, teachers and even pets. In terms of the sheer numbers of greetings sent annually, February 14 ranks second only to Christmas.
This year how about sending a custom photo Valentine?
I designed this one for a friend of mine. (Of course hers has photos of her own kids in it, not mine.) :)
available in 4x6 or 5x7
I am happy to design a card just for you.
you can have it customized with your own photos and sentiment.
Many sizes, styles, and options available.
