Earnest or playful, that Valentine’s card has a history

By KATHERINE ROTH
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The custom of giving cards and other tokens of affection in mid-February goes back centuries. These days Hallmark estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually. That’s not including the kids’ valentines that are popular for classroom exchanges. There are long traditions for both earnest, heartfelt Valentines cards and also for teasing, playful ones. The American Museum of Folk Art in New York City has a number of lovingly crafted cards and other tokens of affection from various periods. Many are in the shape of flowers or hearts. Some from the 19th century were called “Vinegar Valentines.” They were a kind of anti-Valentine that featured playfully insulting verses, like a modern-day roast.