Tips for Writing a Heartfelt Card

Growing up, my mom would always gush about the wonderful love letters that my dad wrote her when they were dating. Though it was hard for me to imagine the romantic side of my dad that wrote these letters, I was always enamored with the way my mom spoke of them and endeavored to write letters of equal impact.

While I can't say for certain how my letters stacked up to my dad's over the years, I can say that I love writing them.

If you're in the club of wondering what to write in a card to someone special, check out my three favorite card themes to get you started.

The "How You Make Me Feel" Letter (most heartfelt)

This type of letter is a classic for Valentine's Day, and a great option. Think about all of the wonderful ways your partner makes you feel. Here are some of my go-to's:

• loved
• fulfilled
• safe
• supported
• encouraged
• strong
• courageous
• joyful

Then, use a few of those keywords to create your letter. Try something like this:

My Love,

I am so lucky to have found you [4 years] ago. You make me feel so loved. When I've had a bad day, your support and encouragement mean the world to me. And when I'm full of joy, you're the one I want to celebrate with. I love you so much.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

The List of Things I Love About You Love Letter (most versatile)

This is probably my favorite type of letter as it can be either serious or playful, depending on your mood. Plus, you can write the list out in sentences (mine become run-on sentences, but maybe you'll have better grammar), bullet point it, or even number or alphabetize it. I sometimes like writing these just as a brain exercise! 

Here are a couple of examples:

1. The written out list.

Dear [Name],

I am so grateful to have you as a partner. I love you for so many reasons: your smile, your eyes, the way you look at me, the way you laugh at all of my jokes (even the ones that aren't funny), your dedication to your work and family, our walks in the woods, your creativity... I cannot imagine a day without you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2. The bullet pointed list.

Dear [Name],

I am so grateful to have you as a partner. I love you for so many reasons: 

- Your smile
- Your creativity
- Your commitment to your family
- Your desire to always become a better person
- The way you push me to become a better person
- Your silly dance moves
- The way you make me feel

I can't imagine a life without you. Happy Valentine's Day!

3. The alphabetized list.

Dear [Name],

Happy Valentine's Day! I am so grateful to have you as a partner. Loving you is as easy as doing the ABC's.

• Your Ambition.
  - Your Bubbly attitude (and the way you always have bubbly in the fridge).
  - Your Courage to fight for the things you love.
  - Your Dance skills (or hilarious lack thereof).
  - Your Eyes.
  [and so on, though good luck with Q, X, Y and Z!]

 

The Funny Love Letter (most fun)

I love being silly so I can only do completely heartfelt cards every once in a while. Instead, my cards are usually a mix of heartfelt and funny, where I sneak in puns, inside jokes and teasing. 

First think up some inside jokes, fun memories or silly things that you and your partner tease each other about. Then, put them together into something like the letter below. Everyone's sense of humor is different so make it your own!

Dear [Inside Joke Pet Name],

Happy Valentine's Day! You mean the world to me. You are the fresh cup of water to my collection of empty nightstand glasses. There is no one I'd rather dance on benches, talk in bad German accents or play ultra-competitive balloon toss with. 

Cheers to another year!

I hope that was helpful in writing your Valentine's Day card this year! Shop here for stationery year-round.