Valentine's Day is the second most popular card-sending occasion in the U.S. after Christmas according to the Greeting Card Association (GCA). That's a create and print card from American Greetings pictured on the right. The GCA estimates that 190 million valentine cards will be exchanged this year. If you include children's classroom-exchange valentines that number soars to 1 billion valentines that will be opened on Thursday, February 14.
The GCA says about half of all individual Valentine's Day cards exchanged in the U.S. are given to family members other than a husband or wife. The GCA estiamtes that one-third are destined for a sweetheart or spouse.
Women purchase more than 80% of all Valentine's Day cards. Women also purchase their cards earlier than men. The GCA says men typically wait until the last minute to shop and purchase only one card, which they give to their significant other. Nevertheless, Valentine's Day is the number one holiday for greeting card purchases by American men.
Here are some other facts about greeting cards providing by the Greeting Card Association.
Approximately one-fourth of individual valentine cards are humorous, with adults aged 35-and-under being the most likely to send humorous cards.
Valentine's Day is the largest e-card sending occasion of the year. An estimated 14 million e-valentines will be sent in 2008.
Greeting cards are traditionally the most popular Valentine's Day gift in the U.S., ranking ahead of candy, flowers or dinner out.
American men may be more serious about Valentine's Day than women. In a national survey for GCA in 2007, 45% of women said they were likely to give a humorous valentine to their sweetheart, compared to only 34% of men.
The percentage of individual valentines exchanged through the mail in comparison to hand delivery is approximately 50-50.
Red is the most popular color choice for valentine cards, follow by pink and then white. Hearts, roses, Cupid and lace are traditional valentine card icons.
Teachers are said to receive more Valentine's Day cards than anyone else in the U.S., largely due to the tradition of classroom valentine exchanges.
Men tend to purchase more expensive and more romantic valentines than women.
The first valentines in America were exchanged during the Revolutionary War period. They were handmade and typically featured sentimental verses written in flowing script.
Esther Howland, a young woman from Massachusetts, was the first regular U.S. publisher of Valentine's Day cards. She sold her first handmade valentine in 1849.
Valentine's Day is the second most popular card-sending occasion in the U.S. after Christmas according to the 