Retro Hallmark Valentine cards from the '70s were super cute and super pink and super girly

Valentine cards in the seventies — at least those geared toward girls — were anything but subtle. Hot pink, pale pink and red were big, as were the doll-like little girls’ huge eyes and big heads. Flowers, dolls, cats — and, of course, hearts — were the essential motifs that made these vintage paper Hallmark Valentine cards so clearly in the classic ’70s style.

So what did you do with these little Valentines’ Day cards, given that most of them were technically too small to mail? Here’s my classes did it back then:

These cards were sold by the box, so you usually needed two or three boxes to have enough for everyone in your class. (That was the rule: you had to bring one for every single person.) After you affixed your name — and usually the name of the person it was for — you’d fold the card in half and use a tiny matching envelope, use sticker as a seal, or fasten the card with a little semicircle flap of paper made just for that purpose.

In class at your Valentine’s Day party, you’d go around and each of the valentines in all of the shoeboxes or tissue box “mailboxes” that had been decorated just for the occasion. If you wanted to be a star, you’d attach candy to your valentine. Because, come on — for kids, that was usually the best part of the whole day!

Collections for kids: Whether youngsters prefer to make their own or choose from “ready-mades,” they’ll find just what they’re looking for in our selection of Hallmark Valentines for children. And there are special valentines for children to send to Mother, Daddy, Aunt and Grandmother. Why not bring the children to see our colorful and complete display of Hallmark Valentines?

Vintage Hallmark Valentine cards: A Valentine hello

(A little girl combs her Barbie-like doll’s hair)

Hallmark Valentine cards: You’re very nice – Be mine

(A blonde girl holds a white cat)

To my Valentine – You’re nice

Little girl with big eyes holding up a heart

Peanuts! Vintage Snoopy Valentine’s Day cards

Hallmark Valentine cards: To a very sweet girl

(Girl in a dress poses with lots of hearts)

Hallmark Valentine cards: To a nice sister

A valentine for mother

Sweetheart Valentine’s Day cake (1949)

Vintage cards: You’re special, Valentine

(A little pink-haired girl playing a heart-shaped guitar)

Hallmark Valentine cards: To someone special

(A little girl with a pink headband is ready to eat a heart-shaped cookie)

Valentines: For you, granddaughter – with love

The back of a fold-over vintage Valentine card

Funny Valentines: Snoopy, Raggedy Ann and a host of lovable characters are ready to help your children celebrate Valentine’s Day. Let your children choose today from our Hallmark collection of stand-up, punch-out and put-together Valentines.