OK I’ll admit it: We got a little lax with our holiday cards this year, and for the first time in I don’t know how long, we didn’t get ours out. What’s worse is that we actually BOUGHT THEM, so all the hard work was basically done. But for some reason December was such a mad house we just never got around to sending them. Because of that, I started thinking about ways to make up for it, and Valentine’s Day cards topped my list!
While I exchange Valentine’s Day cards with my husband Cory every year, I’ve never actually sent them to family and friends. But I was actually watching the first Sex and the City movie for the thousandth time the other day (the series reboot And Just Like That has me wanting to watch all the reruns), and it had such a cute scene where Charlotte’s daughter Lily mails a V-day card to Carrie, and I thought that was the sweetest idea!
It turns out, Valentine’s Day is a great way to celebrate not only your partner, but your friends/loved ones as well. In fact, February 14 in other countries is not only for couples. For example, in Finland it’s called Ystävänpäivä, which actually translates to “Friend’s Day.” So why not use it as a fun excuse to send a card to your besties? Below are a few tips around sending Valentine’s day cards, and our favorite picks for romantic and non-romantic cards alike.
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Who should get a Valentine’s Day card?
If you’re married or in a relationship with your girlfriend or boyfriend (or want to be with someone special), you’ll obviously want to make them top of your list. This is who you’ll want to reserve those romantically-themed Valentine’s day cards for.
I personally love giving two cards to my spouse (and do this for most celebrations): one that is funny/light-hearted, and another that is a little sweeter with a longer note. What’s great about buying Valentines Day cards from Minted vs. off the shelf at a drugstore is that you can choose to have any card mailed blank, or you can customize it with your own personal message/greeting inside, which makes it so more more special. (More on that, below!)
Once you have our romantic valentines card figured out, you’ll want to think about who should get sweet greeting cards. Possible recipients include:
- Family members (like a sibling, grandparent, parent, etc.)
- Best friends
- Classmates
- Kids (my mom used to make Valentine’s Day and Easter baskets for me filled with chocolates, toys, and candy that I loved)
- Teachers (nothing is cuter than getting Valentine’s Day cards like this one from Minted from the kids in your class)
I love that when you’re shopping for V-day cards Minted, you can actually use their filters to sort by recipient type (like friend, teacher, wife, or husband). It makes it so much easier to find exactly the right type of card you need.
Valentine’s Day is also a great time to make a special announcement. Whether it’s an engagement announcement, Save the Date, wedding announcement or Birth Announcement, any love-related theme is perfect for the holiday (like this foil-pressed card from Minted).
What do I write in it?
I work as a writer, and I still get writer’s block when it comes to any sort of personal greeting cards. My #1 piece of advice is to start with a blank piece of paper that ISN’T the card you’ll be using. The last thing you want is to have to scratch something out that didn’t work. I let my thoughts free-flow on the blank sheet, and try to be as conversational as possible and really tune into how I’m feeling. Talk about WHAT you love about the person, WHY they’re so special, and HOW they make you feel. You can also go with a few tried-and-true one-liners that you can use alone or as part of a larger note in your Valentine’s Day cards. Here are some examples:
Romantic:
- You have my whole heart
- Home is wherever you are
- You are my sun, moon, and stars…my everything
- I’m so happy we both swiped right.
Platonic:
- Thank you for always being by my side
- You make the world a brighter place
- Roses are red, violets are blue, you’re the best (friend/teacher/mom) and I’m so thankful for you!
- May your Valentine’s Day be filled with lots of love and laughter!
- We love what we do because of you (great for business partners/clients)
Still not sure what to write? For your larger mailing list, consider Valentine’s Day postcards. Not only will you save money on the card and postage, but you can let the card design and photo take center stage, like this ‘Flowers and Love’ postcard from Minted.
When should you send out Valentine cards?
Take advantage of all those post-holiday card sales and buy your Valentine’s Day cards in January, and plan to mail them by the first week February. Custom cards will always take longer, so the sooner you can buy them the better. Otherwise, opt for single or boxed greeting cards to get them out ASAP.
Deal of Day: For a limited time get 15% off all Minted Valentine cards and photo & stationery gifts!
Are you going to send out Valentine’s Day cards this year? Let us know in the comments section, below!
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