Technology drives us forwards as a species. There’s no stopping it and, in many ways, why would we want to stop it? It saves our lives, makes our jobs easier and allows us to watch cute videos of cats falling over whenever we like. But there are some things that just work better in the analogue world. Yes, people have made Valentine’s cards digital, but there are many reasons why a physical card being sent on the 14th February means so much more than opening an attachment on an email.

Let’s take a look into the world of Valentine’s cards, digital and physical to find out more.

History of Valentine’s Cards

As with many modern celebrations, Valentine’s Day has its roots in a historical festival. In this case, it is the Roman fertility festival, Lupercalia. This event started on the 15th February, and involved men choosing a woman's name from a jar at random. These couples would be paired for the entire festival, and sometimes remained together until Lupercalia the following year.

Some say that the first Valentine’s card was sent by St Valentine himself. He was said to be a martyred Christian who, whilst imprisoned, fell for his jailer’s daughter. He is said to have cured her blindness too. The night before his execution, the legend is that he left her a note to say goodbye, ending it with the sign-off, “Your Valentine.”

It wasn’t until the end of the end of the 18th century that we started sending each other Valentine’s cards as we might think of them now. They were generally handmade and featured lines from poems and romantic decorations.

Nowadays, cards remain a key part of a celebration and contribute to the £990 million spent by Brits on romantic celebrations on 14th February 2022.

Are Valentine’s Cards Digital?

Many people out there have made Valentine’s cards digital, and it doesn’t take much searching to find them. There are free e-cards you can send or paid ones if you can’t find something you want at no cost. There are also digital design apps that let you create your own using set templates.

People do send them to each other and it can be a fun experience to spot it popping up in your inbox on the big day. But is it special? Well, opinions differ of course, but here are some of the reasons why sending a physical card is preferable for the most romantic day of the year.

Why Physical Valentine’s Cards Are Better Than Digital

It’s all about the senses

A real Valentine’s card is something to hold and cherish. It is an object you can touch and it is tangible. Not some collection of pixels on a screen. You can feel the quality of the card, admire the artistry of the design, read the handwritten message and know that this was held by your beloved (or your secret admirer) as they personalised it just for you.

Then there is the smell of a real greetings card. There is nothing like it in the world. You also get the heart stopping moment when you hear the letter box swing open and the post drop onto the doormat. Will there be something in there for me? Much more satisfying than the ping of your inbox and a preview popping up to tell you that x34htns@valcard.digital has a message for you.

Stands out from the crowd

A physical card is a statement. It stands out from your other post with its bright red envelope. It looks nothing like the bills and adverts that make up the rest of the delivery.

Whilst they can make Valentine’s cards digital, they can’t make them stand out in your inbox. It is just another line of text on a screen. And when you open the message, you usually have to wade through multiple adverts to get to your generic image, featuring text in a generic font.

There is nothing special about it to elevate it to the level of a real, physical card in your hands.

You can display it

Being able to display a physical card is a real bonus too. It is a continual reminder of the love of the sender, every time you see it. A digital Valentine might be saved deep within the document system on your computer and you could seek it out, but simply walking past the physical card on your mantelpiece is a special feeling and one that happens naturally a number of times a day.

African-Inspired Valentine’s Cards

Yes, they have made Valentine’s cards digital, but Afrotouch Design has a range of real, physical, African-inspired Valentine’s cards for you to give to your loved one this February. Whether you send one to your beloved or post it anonymously to someone you’d like to get to know better, these designs are created using Royal Red African wax print material and are blank inside so you can write a beautiful, heartfelt message that will make them feel like the most special person in the world. Browse our selection right now to get yours in time for the big day.