Buyers Guide: Valentine's Day Cards

     Nothing says you appreciate someone’s friendship on Valentine’s Day like a good card. Handwritten or store-bought, a card (and more importantly, its message) show that you care and are thinking of them. This guide will help you pick the card that sends the message you actually intended – good or bad. So before you pull out your trusty mail stuffer and waste precious stamps, let’s take a deep dive into the art of giving a card.

     Pop-Up Valentine

     A larger-than-life type of card, your message is quite literally bursting to be read. Bold, both in its big, impossible-to-miss heart in the centre and its colour choices, you are certainly sending the message that you want the recipient to see your love. Are you trying to compensate for a mistake in the past? Or you are just really, really in love? This is a great, over the top cheesy Valentine’s Day card that is sure to get an aww or two.

     Scented Valentine Paper

      Let’s get the obvious out of the way – technically, this is not a card. But, with a fold or two (or more if you are into giving the recipient a real challenge in receiving the message), this can certainly become a card. For the old soul’s of Neopia, maybe a handwritten letter means more than repurposing this paper as a card. In any case, it’s best-selling feature is the scent. It will linger on even after the message has been read, and smell is one of the strongest senses tied to memory. Just don’t use this paper for someone with strong allergies – or do, if you are looking to find your inner Jhudora that day.

     Pro-tip: folding this into a cool, origami-style Neopet is sure to be a hit, as long as your message inside is still legible.

     A Mysterious Valentines Card

      How scandalous – you send a card and the reader has no idea who left it. Great for those who have not yet had the courage to express their feelings, or conversely, want to keep their identity hidden as they send a meaner note disguised as a Valentine. Friendly reminder that just because you got it off your chest doesn’t mean they will know it was you. A great card choice for those with a crafty Valentine who will enjoy the game of a ‘who done it?’.

     Torn Valentines Day Card

      Not every reader was looking for the sentimental, feel-good Valentine’s Day card – remember, the 14th of Awakening is also Anti-Valentine’s Day to some. Send a strong message to a (soon to be former) friend or foe by dropping off one of these cards. You can write a nasty note inside, and then add fuel to the flame by ripping it up before they have had a chance to read it. Maybe your recipient can only see certain parts that highlight your true feelings, but rest assured that the critical message of hate is well received by giving them an already torn up card. Bonus points that if your message would have driven them to rip up the card, you already took that stress relief from them.

     Valentine Card Set

     Maybe you and your Valentine bonded over a major event that happened in Neopia – say the Tale of Woe or the Return of Dr. Sloth. Or say, you have a lot of friends you want/need to send a note too and need an economical choice - a rinse and repeat, one might say. Look no further than these card sets, which come in a number of different overall themes, and then further variations within each set. Handy if you will be sending multiple cards to a group of friends likely to compare and/or receive at the same time (such as at school or work) and the sets offer enough variety to somewhat personalize the card to the person. For example, Hanso, a charismatic scoundrel, for the friend that always ends up in trouble, but means well. Or Dr. Sloth, a diabolical dictator, for that boss you can’t stand or friend who won’t stop bragging about their Beauty Contest win (we get it, you’re popular).

     From left to right: Tale of Woe Valentine Card Set, Corbin Valentine Card Set, Faeries Ruin Valentine Card Set, Hannah Valentine Card Set, Kell Valentine Card Set, Return of Dr. Sloth Valentine Card Set

     Assorted Non-Valentine Cards

      The Gift shop is sure to be bustling as Valentine’s Day nears, so be prepared for queues and out of stock notices. If you are truly too late, you may miss out on the Valentine specific cards from above. Never fear – back up cards are here! It definitely does not send a strong message that you were prepared and planning for this, but hey, at least you did something. These generic cards are great to tell a loved one you thought of them, but were just a bit too slow. Maybe one of them resonates with them as an inside joke and ends up being more thoughtful than a generic Valentine’s Day card. I’ll caveat that these ones can go either way – what if you already gave the recipient a Thanks Card for a favour they did last year? You can also use these in a more sinister manner if your message is clearly ironic and they are, in fact, not the best.

     From left to right: Thinking of You Card, Youre the Best Card, Thanks Card, Ona Greeting Card, Ghostkerchief Greeting Card

     Now that you’ve mastered the art of the card selection (or at the very least, educating yourself on card options), you can read my previous article from Neopian Times edition #581 on the even more difficult art of gift-giving. However you feel about Valentine’s Day, there are many ways to send a message of intent to a person of interest. At the end of the day, a heartfelt message will trump the look of a card any day.