Sending a Valentine's Day card? 10 rules to follow

Learn a lesson from the Valentine’s Day cards I’ve saved since the ‘70s: 10 important rules for sending cards to the ones you love, and tips for deciding which love notes to save

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If you’re sending Valentine’s Day cards this year, there are some key rules to follow -- and mistakes to avoid.  

I know this because I’ve been saving Valentines since the 1970s.  So I can see which ones got right to the heart of it and which sent Cupid’s arrows slightly off target.

Looking through my card collection, co-host Sally Libby and I came up with 10 rules that could help you find the right words for romance this year. We also try to show some love for the art of Swedish Death Cleaning -- by including tips about which Valentines Day cards to save, and which to toss. Like, what should you do with romantic cards from a former partner in love? We have strong feelings about that. 

In the end, we experienced a sort of Valentines Day miracle.  After two years of podcasting, I finally had the urge to toss my treasures. Okay, not all of them.  But my stash did get smaller.  So I've shared why I sent some treasures to the trash can, and what might motivate you to do the same.

As Sally points out in our quick look at Valentine's Day history, a celebration of love can be traced all the way back to the Roman holiday Lupercalia.  Considering the chaos and ugliness we've seen in 2025, it seems important to preserve any holiday that increases our love and laughter.  I know I’m not the only one who wants a little more love in the world right now.

To see the most lovable and funniest Valentines Day cards I received during the past five decades, go to throwitoutpodcast.com.  (And while you’re there, we’d really feel the love if you’d sign up for our newsletter – so we can update you whenever there’s a new episode.)

Thank you for listening!

(Farting Cupid card from Carlton Cards, Cleveland Ohio.)

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More info, photos, and transcript: throwitoutpodcast.com
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