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Gotta have heart: Valentine's Day links

Posted: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 12:04 PM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
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I think of Valentine's Day as one of those Hallmark holidays, created so we all spend money on greeting cards and roses and chocolates. But then I think: What's so bad about roses and chocolates, and if a greeting card reminds someone to reach out to someone they love, who am I to object?

And I can't help but fall under its spell: A friend and I sometimes buy a whole box of those little-kid cartoon valentines and sign them all from different people (famous folks, fictional characters, people we used to know) and swap the entire box. Nothing like getting a Scooby-Doo valentine "signed" by Bill Gates. (It's a long story...)

With that in mind, here are my favorite Valentine's Day-related links, and feel free to add in your own.

• Perhaps my favorite Valentine's Day link: The ACME Heart Maker allows you to create an image of your own candy conversation heart.

• The site above also links to a place that will make real personalized candy hearts, for weddings and other special occasions. (Like the personalized M&Ms that I'm fascinated with, they're pretty pricey -- $299 for 10 pounds!) The site also shares the bizarre news that the white conversation hearts are pineapple-flavored. They ARE? Maybe just this particular brand.

• Unfortunate Valentine's Day cards are highlighted here. I'm kind of scared of the giant mutant pear-monster, myself. 

• Candy Blog has been reviewing Valentine's candy all week. Some of the candy is quite gourmet and fancy, but I'm a sucker for the heart-shaped Junior Mints, half of which are filled with red minty goo instead of white for the holiday.

• I've seen anatomical chocolate hearts before, but really, the gummi ones look more realistic.

•  In 2005, Matt from X-Entertainment got a hold of some oh-so-1980s kiddy valentines, featuring Mario, the California Raisins, the Legend of Zelda and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Cowabunga, dude! Be my valentine!

• I think of Marshmallow Peeps as more of an Easter treat myself, but not only do they sell Marshmallow Peep hearts, the company suggests projects you can make with them. (Here's a .pdf link to instructions for a Marshmallow Heart bouquet.)

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Comments

Those Valentines were weird rather than unfortunate. The comments were stranger than the cards.

Bill McGovern (Sent Wednesday, February 14, 2007 2:17 AM)

Although I know it is not the summer commercial theme time yet, I have to comment on the latest Wendy's ads that use the Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun" as the theme song. For anyone who knows what this song is about (NOT sunburn). this is just about the most disgusting thing to tie in with fast food. So many bad memories from high school friends working at local eateries and their horro stories come to mind... EW EW EW!!!

Megan (Sent Wednesday, February 14, 2007 11:41 AM)

I love the bittersweets from Despair.com! They are billed as the "Valentine's candy for the rest of us." They crack me up! Imagine really getting conversation hearts that say things like, "UP YER MEDS" and "PRENUP OKAY?" Little pricey but so funny.

Emily, NE (Sent Wednesday, February 14, 2007 2:16 PM)

Go right to the source for the custom candy hearts from Elmer's: https://www.elmercandy.com/cart/custom_cart.asp Half the price of Magic Wand Weddings (and my guess is they're made at the same factory since their white ones are also pineapple).

cybele (Sent Wednesday, February 14, 2007 2:44 PM)

Ya, by all means...Valentine's Day is all about "buying" and making cash!!

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Wednesday, February 14, 2007 7:34 PM)

Personalized M&M's? What a great way to make a wedding or a New Years party special!  And it is less messy then confettis.

christian single dating (Sent Tuesday, September 11, 2007 9:41 AM)



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