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| It’s February. You’ve found the perfect Valentine’s Card. Maybe you’ve even bagged a little Valentine’s Gift. But now, you’re sitting pen-in-hand, wondering how to write a Valentines message that’s warm and meaningful, but not too soppy, silly, or generic. Check out my top tips for what to write inside a Valentine’s card to get inspired. |
In my own greetings cards, I always opt to leave the inside blank for your own message - not only because this complicates the print order, and narrows the occasions you can use each card for - but also because I think that the message inside a greetings card should be personal to you and the recipient, and there’s just no way I could tailor a message to suit all the possibilities out there.
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That being said - if, like me, you aren’t exactly a wordsmith, that blank space can be a little intimidating, especially when it comes to penning something meaningful like a Valentines or Anniversary card for someone you really care about. I believe that there’s a certain magic in putting the effort into writing and sending a card, and it’s something even personally I don’t do enough of, when a card filled with a sentence or two of meaningful words can really make a person’s day.
So if you find yourself stuck for words when penning your Valentine’s greeting this year, check out these starting points for some inspiration to get the ink, and the love, flowing!
Little Flower Valentine's Card
When penning a valentine’s message to your significant other, it can be a nice idea to use your pet / nicknames for a little added familiarity and exclusiveness. For recently engaged or married couples it might be a special touch to use their newly married title (eg. Mr/Ms XYZ) or to “My Beautiful Fiancee/Fiance” etc.
For newer relationships, a funny option might be to use (or reference) their contact name as saved in your phone when you first started dating, but be sure to be sensitive to their sense of humour on this one!
Finally, if nothing else fits, a classic but still romantic choice can be simply to use “My Valentine”.
A great place to start when deciding what to write in a valentine’s card, especially with longer relationships, is to take a little trip down memory lane. Think back to where you started - who’d have thought all those years ago you’d be where you are now!
Recall some precious memories you’ve shared - whether holidays, dates, or family occasions - and tell them what those moments meant to you. It can mean a lot to people to learn about the precious moments with them - big and small - that have had a lasting effect on you.
Example: “I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since our first date! Do you remember when..”
Forever and Ever Valentines Card
In contrast to number one, another lovely idea is to show them you are looking forward to your future together. This is especially good for newer relationships that are just beginning! Look ahead to the future and tell them what you are excited to share with them in the future - are you excited to see the world with them? Eat pizza in bed with them? Make plans and start new chapters with them? With very new relationships, this area can be a bit delicate, so best to be sure you’re on the same page before putting pen to paper!
For a simple and sweet idea to write in a valentine’s card, fill the page with a list or bubbles of all the things you’re excited to share with them in the future - from sleeping-in on Sundays and summery park picnics,to the big, life-changing moments.
For soon-to-be newlyweds, parents, or other upcoming milestones, another nice idea is to include a countdown to that special moment - eg. “Only X Days/Hours/Minutes until..”
Out of This World Celestial Card
Part of loving someone is knowing their faults, but admiring their strengths. Get thinking about the qualities in them you truly admire. Are they a great parent? A caring sibling? A hard worker? A selfless dreamer? There’s nothing like knowing someone sees all the good in you to make you feel loved on Valentine’s Day.
Some ways to include this in your Valentine’s card could be:
A popular Love Language is “acts of service”, and even if it isn’t yours, writing a Valentine’s card could be a great opportunity to sit down and think about the little things your partner does for you to make you feel appreciated and loved. From doing the dishes so you don’t have to, or nipping out to the shop for movie-night snacks whilst you stay in your slippers, there are probably some small things (and big!) that your beau does to make you feel valued.
Spending some time to show you have noticed and appreciated these things, is a great way to make your Valentine feel treasured this year - it can be as simple as a thank you, or you could even add a little “IOU” of your own, to take over a tiresome task from them in future.
Time to put your primary school English lessons to the test! It doesn’t have to be perfect prose - just writing a playful little poem in their Valentines card can be the perfect way to make someone smile. Sure they take a little thought and extra time, but it’s guaranteed to have them grinning!
If you don’t exactly have a Shakespearean way with words, try these types of poem out for something simpler, but still super-special:
Writing a valentine’s card for someone you’ve only just started dating can be tricky, and you might want to shy-away from the more sentimental options in this list! The perfect solution to this, instead of writing something generic, could be to include a little reference to any in-jokes you have formed together. Try thinking back to the times you’ve had a good old giggle, and use that moment to inspire your Valentine’s Day message. Long or short term relationship, a private joke between the two of you is a great way to add an extra meaningful touch to your Valentine’s card.
Main Squeeze Lemon Valentine's Card
In a similar vein, if you prefer to keep it light and playful rather than super-sappy, try using a pun or cheeky joke to add to your Valentine’s message. The internet is already a goldmine for puns (and frankly, my Valentine’s Cards aren’t bad either!) but for the inside message, a great place to start can be to think of their interests and hobbies and think of a pun based around that.
If you’re not much of a pun-lover, another way to pen a silly and less serious valentine’s message is to joke about the more mundane / less traditionally romantic aspects of your life together - eg:
Moon & Back Celestial Love Card
The internet is never short on inspirational quotes, but to make it more personal, try finding a silly or special quote from your shared interest or hobby. This could be from a book, a TV show/movie, a video game, or even just a public figure you both admire. Try to pick one that relates to love or strength of course, or something that reminds you of them, but if it feels right to go with a silly / funny quote that will make them smile and think of you this Valentine’s day, then feel free to go with that!
Do you have “your song”? Maybe you have a whole playlist! Go a little mushy and sentimental by picking out a phrase from one of your favourite songs to make them smile this Valentine’s Day! If they’re a music buff, it might be nice to spend some time listening to their favourite musicians and picking out lyrics from one of their treasured songs instead, for the ultimate thoughtful surprise when they open their Valentine’s card.
Still struggling for words? Perhaps you’re just not a write-your-feelings kind of person. If you’re more of a creative soul (or even if you’re not) why not put pen to paper and use the space inside your Valentine’s card to draw a little picture or comic for the one you love instead? I particularly love Philipa Rice and Sundaekids for the way they document small but lovely moments in their relationships - which could be a great starting place for inspiration to draw your own little one-page comic. Stick men are totally permitted, as long as they're drawn with love!
In recent years, (thanks to the mighty Leslie Knope!) the rise of Galentine’s and even Palentine’s day cards, gifts and treats has become a perfect way to send a little love to your platonic, but no-less love filled relationships. If you’re penning a little message to your gal/palentine this year, here’s some original ideas for what to include inside:
We couldn’t discuss Galentine’s Day without a Parks & Rec reference now could we? So maybe 5,000 words might be a little lengthy to fit inside a card, but the sentiment is there. Why not include a list of all the reasons you treasure them as a friend.
Remember pen-pals?! If you’re sending a Galentine’s message to a friend you’ve not seen in a while, consider using it just to catch them up with the minutiae of your life. It’s often said that there’s more to talk about with a friend you talk regularly with than a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while, so why not use this to start a catch-up tradition with one of your far-away friends.
If your pal is treasured enough to receive their own Pal/Galentines cards, chances are you’ve got some wonderful memories and private jokes to tap into. Whether it’s signing off with your friendship-group-only nickname, or thanking them for being there for important moments of your life - including shared moments that are private to you is a perfect way to make a message more personal.
Though it doesn’t strictly come under writing, sometimes a card doesn’t need writing in at all. For a creative approach, make like tween-age you and fill the inside with a collage that’s personalised to them. Consider selfies, night-out antics, words/phrases cut from magazines or newspaper, and a generous helping of gel pen and glitter glue.
Now all that’s left is to find the perfect card to pen your Valentine’s message! Check out my selection of unique, Illustrated Valentine’s Cards to pair with your masterfully composed Valentine’s message! Need inspiration, check out my round up of the best Valentine’s Day Cards for every type of Valentine. Maybe you’re staying home this Valentine’s Day - check out these Lockdown valentine’s ideas from back when we had to stay put for some fun at-home ideas.
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