The Evolution of the Valentine's Day Card

The evolution of the Valentine's Day card...As holiday cards go, Valentine's Day cards have evolved over the years, from vintage cards that either had a lovely sentiment or were just a darling reflection of the time, to mass produced cards that tie in with the hottest show/movie/toy.

Do you remember the Valentine's Day cards you exchanged as a kid?

Depending on when you grew up, you might have passed along a Holly Hobbie card or a generic puppy valentine - but today's kids swap cards that are typically tied to marketing a popular TV series or movie.

The first Valentine's Day card was sent from France's Duke of Orleans in 1415 when he was a prisoner in the Tower of London.

Related: 20 celeb dads we'd like to be our Valentine

The cards became popular in the U.S. during the Revolutionary War and started to be mass produced in the 1900s, with Hallmark jumping on board in 1913. It was full steam ahead from then on.

Check out the evolution of Valentine's Day cards in this look at 10 vintage, retro, and modern day valentines:


Victorian Era Valentine
Victorian Era Valentine
This Victorian Valentine's Day card is beautiful and delicate ... made of intricate doilies and lace!


1800s Valentine
1800s Valentine
The 1800s saw a move toward the more "modern" Valentine's Day card featuring animals instead of people!

Related: 20 adorable Valentine's Day cards you can make yourself


1900-1910s Valentine
1900-1910s Valentine
This is a simple message of love for Valentine's Day, with a young boy blowing heart bubbles.


1930s Valentine
1930s Valentine
This Valentine's Day card features a cute bear in a tub with an equally cute sentiment.


1940s Valentine
1940s Valentine
Puns and cutesie captions started to emerge on Valentine's Day cards of the '40s.

Related: 15 romantic dinner ideas for Valentine's Day


1960s Valentine
1960s Valentine
This TV-themed Valentine's Day card reflected the popularity of television at the time.


1970s Valentine
1970s Valentine
I think this may have been a card I exchanged back in the day.


1980s Valentines
1980s Valentines
As the years passed, Valentine's Day cards started to tie in with popular TV shows and movies, as seen with these Care Bears cards.

Related: 12 ways to show your home love this Valentine's Day


1990s Valentines
1990s Valentines
Sonic the Hedgehog was a popular TV cartoon in the '90s and made for a fun way to express your young love on Valentine's Day.


2000s Valentines
2000s Valentines
Bieber Fever took over Valentine's Day for tweens all over the United States!

- By Wendy Michaels

For 10 more vintage and modern Valentine's Day cards, visit Babble!

MORE ON BABBLE

9 ways to spice up your relationship
5 things ALL women want to hear
7 things I wish I knew about men before I got married
13 tips for snagging a man (circa 1938)
You put what where?! 15 terrifying methods of birth control

Stay connected. Follow Babble on Facebook and Twitter.