Green Valentine Cards

With the exception of Christmas, Americans exchange more cards on Valentine's Day then any other time of year. Can you imagine the amount of paper being used for cards and envelopes? We all have to do our part to lesson our impact on the environment.

So what is considered a Green Valentine card?

To me, it means not using any paper or paper products. That leaves e-mailing. Now some emailed cards can be pretty tacky.

In my search to find ecards that weren't tacky, I discovered Smilebox. One of the most inovative products on the market right now. With Smilebox you can create the most amazing animated greetings that feature your photos and videos. With hundreds of designs to choose from, the possibilities are endless.

Unlike other sites that focus on photo sharing and organizing photos, Smilebox's focus is on creating personalized multimedia scrapbooks, egreetings, sideshows and photo books with music, words and themes. Basic Smilebox designs are free. Upgrades are available for individual designs, or by joining Club Smilebox. Since there's no public sharing of photos, or on site search functions, you don't have to worry about the safety of your photos.

I love Smilebox, the ecards aren't tacky, nor are they ordinary.

I have so much fun with Smilebox that I made a whole site full of my smilebox creations and all the latest tips and tricks from Smilebox! fun with smilebox

What better way to tell someone that you love them - by showing them - with a beautiful compilation of photos or a special video that you made, just for them. Smilebox makes it easy for you to create something truly personal using your photos, videos, words and music.

You can create and share heartfelt Valentine ecards and postcards to email on Valentine's Day, post to a website, put on your blog, facebook or myspace.

My kids made these Valentines especially for this lens. They posed their bears, took pictures, down loaded them to the computer then put them into Smilebox and made these ecards. That's how easy it is.



Want to make one too? They are so much fun to make and send!










Want to make one too? They are so much fun to make and send!


Create and share a Valentine ecard in minutes!
Send a truly personal message with your photos, videos, music, and words.

Amazing moving Valentines E-Cards. really, they move! how fun is that

Need an extra special Valentine's Day idea this year? Share memorable and sentimental Valentine's Day pictures with your loved one - it's sure to make a heart happy! You can do all this and more with Smilebox Valentine cards! It's fun, it's easy and it's free. Just choose your free Valentines Day greeting, add your Valentine's Day pictures, captions and music.

Then share your free Valentine cards via email or post them to your blog. For an especially unique Valentine's Day idea, take a video of yourself expressing your feelings for your loved one. Insert the video into one of our free Valentine cards and send. It will be like no other Valentine's Day greeting they've ever received!

Surprise a friend or family member with a membership to Club Smilebox!

For a full year they will get all the benefits of a Club Smilebox membership.

A personal message from you will be delivered to their inbox with all the details they need to get started.

Valentines is a nice day to show your loved ones that you care and even treat yourself to some love as well. Of course you can easily do this with out chocolates or flowers. The best gifts come from the heart.

Instead of cut flowers, give a potted plant of spring bulbs, or a potted plant that could be transplanted outside in spring.

Instead of new wrapping paper, reuse old paper such as the Sunday comics section, old maps, decorated brown grocery bags, or a colorful piece of material.

Instead of driving to a restaurant, cooking a special dinner for someone would make a much appreciated treat. Don't know what to cook - check out Send Me Recipies. No paper wasted here, recipies are emailed to you. Quick and easy recipe ideas that allow your family to eat healthier! Receive great recipes and dinner ideas from Send Me Recipes. Now how cool is that!

Have dinner by candle light

Go for a walk

Use your imagination.... the best gifts come from the heart.

According to the Postcard and Greeting Card Museum - written Valentines began to appear after 1400. The oldest Valentine in existence was made in the 1400's and is in the British Museum. Paper valentines were exchanged in Europe where they were given in place of Valentine gifts. Paper Valentines were especially popular in England. In the early 1800's, Valentines began to be assembled in factories. Early manufactured Valentines were black and white pictures painted by the workers in the factory. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, then with paper lace which was introduced in the mid 1800's. By the end of the 1800's Valentines were being made entirely by machine. In 1850, Esther Howland, an American printer and artist was among the first to publish and sell Valentines in the United States. In the early 1900's a card company named Norcross became one of the first companies to manufacture Valentines. With the exception of Christmas, Americans exchange more cards on Valentine's Day than any other time of the year.

Approximately 190 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged industry wide (not including packaged kids' valentines for classroom exchanges), making Valentine's Day the second largest holiday for giving greeting cards.

50% of those cards will be purchsed in the six days prior to Valentine's Day.

In addition to the U.S., Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Denmark and Italy.

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