Valentines Day Cards
The first known Valentines Day greeting cards date from the Middle Ages. The lovers in those days said or sang their Valentines.
After 1400’s, the first written Valentines appeared. The paper Valentines were very famous especially in England. They were exchanged and given in place of Valentines gift. One of the first cards is in the British museum. In early 1800’s was the beginning of manufactured Valentines cards. They were black and white and a lot of workers painted them by hand. In the mid 1800’s the cards were decorated with lace and ribbons and were very expensive. They had pictures of bleeding heart, lovers’ knots in gold and silver, cupids and other symbols which have become associated with love. In the 1840’s were made the first cards where by pulling a tab an object on the card could move. Valentines were made by machine at the end of 1800’s.
The American printer and artist Miss Ester Howland decided to create her own Valentine card, inspired by the cards which her father imported from England. Around 1830 she began importing all the stuff she needed and employed several assistants to help her. She was among the first who started to sell Valentines cards in USA.
In our days you can choose between thousands of different Valentines carts. There is a type of cards for each ones taste-funny, romantic, expensive and of course not so. But the best one is the homemade because the person you are giving it will feel your touch and you can send your personal message to him that way. Write your own thoughts in it or any time you can “borrow” love quotes and sayings from known persons which passed their time. Most of the people prefer to buy a small present together with the card. It depends on you. And do not forget to send the valentine card few days earlier. In a lot of countries around the world people exchange more cards only at Christmas.