According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year!  (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known valentine card is on display at the British Museum.  The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840’s by Esther A. Howland.  Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap."

Dress a cheerful table with Hoffmaster’s Valentine’s Day placemats and accompanying napkins!  Our beautiful doilies add to the romance and create an elegant display for your table top settings.   P.S.  They make beautiful handmade valentines, too!