Old and young alike exchange Valentine cards with their friends. The custom of exchanging greetings on Valentine's Day goes back hundreds of years. Scholars have found records of Valentine notes that date from the 1400's. Valentine's Day is a special day observed on February 14. On this day, people send greeting cards called valentines to their sweethearts, friends, and members of their families.
Many valentines have romantic verses, and others have humorous pictures and sayings.
For weeks before February 14, stores sell valentines and valentine decorations. Schoolchildren decorate their classrooms with paper hearts and lace for the occasion. On Valentine's Day, many people give candy, flowers, and other gifts to their friends. In the United States and Canada, children exchange valentines with their friends. In some schools, the children hold a classroom party and put all the valentines into a box they have decorated.