With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, romance is on everyone’s mind. But do we put entirely too much focus on it? Or is romance a dying art in this highly virtual world? (A romantic text message will never be the same as a hand-written love letter.)

Here are some quotations on romance to give our hearts some historical perspective:

“Romance is everything.”  – Gertrude Stein

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”  – Oscar Wilde

“A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure.”  – Charlie Chaplin

“Romance is tempestuous. Love is calm.”  – Mason Cooley

“I do like a little romance… just a sniff, as I call it, of the rocks and valleys. Of course, bread-and-cheese is the real thing. The rocks and valleys are no good at all, if you haven’t got that.”  – Anthony Trollope

“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.”  – Bruce Lee

“All I really, really want our love to do is to bring out the best in me and in you too.”  – Joni Mitchell

“Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong

Why don’t you take a risk this Valentine’s Day? Surprise that certain someone with one of our love-drenched romantic Valentine’s Day ecards. It’s a virtual kiss. An electronic hug. A blue screen “I love you.”

Next to Christmas, is there a holiday as emotionally loaded as Valentine’s Day? It’s kind of a “can’t win for losing” day. You either have that special someone and feel this immense pressure to get your love life dialed in Hallmark perfect or you’re alone, wishing you felt that kind of immense romantic pressure at all.

Here are a few suggestions to simplify your Valentine’s Day:

1. Start the day off with the bang. (And yes, you can interpret that any way you’d like.) If you have a special someone, sprinkle rose petals on her bed. Put balloons in his car with “I love you” written on them. And send a funny Valentine’s Day ecard the night before, so it’s the first thing your honey sees when checking the email.
2. Cook at Home, together. Something about restaurants seems so impersonal on Valentine’s Day. There you are, sitting in a room with dozens of other couples trying to have that same perfectly romantic leg of lamb. Cooking together at home is infinitely more bonding, fun and intimate.
3. Put Pen to Paper! Listen, we’re an ecard company. We love expressing emotions online. But we know there’s a time and place for actual, “in the flesh” love letters. It doesn’t matter what you write. Just the mere act of inscribing your thought and feelings onto paper is one of the best gifts anyone can get on Valentine’s Day. (But if you’re too lazy for that, then feel free to send one of our romantic Valentine’s Day ecards instead.)

Bottom line, a good Valentine’s Day does not have to include expensive presents and packed restaurants. As a matter of fact, the simple acts often send the most powerful messages.

Morris, from one of our Anti-Valentine’s Day ecards

This one is dedicated to all of the men out there who are trying to break free from a pesky relationship…or those who just want to play a good (albeit risky) joke on that significant other of yours. Follow these steps on Valentine’s Day and you’re guaranteed to lose that ol’ ball and chain” for good!

• Wax nostalgic about glorious Valentine’s Days of your past, look wistful, and sigh a lot.
• Tell her red is definitely not her color.
• Take her to a local McDonald’s and say, “Let’s keep it simple this year, shall we?”
• Talk about your mother excessively.
• Talk about her mother excessively.
• Bring home February’s issue of Playboy with a big grin on your face and head to the bathroom. Stay in there for most of the evening.
• Give her a membership to Weight Watchers.
• Put “Love Stinks” on repeat play.
• Talk endlessly about your irritable bowel syndrome.
• Burp-sing her favorite love song.
• When she goes in for a hug, stick out your hand.
• Tell her the toilet bowl really needs a good scrubbing. Hand her the Ajax and a brush.
• Whisper “you’re a sweet nothing” in her ear.
• Explain how you have a “hankering to hang out with the guys tonight.”
• On your Facebook page, to which she is linked, post pictures of you and “the guys” in a well known gay bar…. shirtless…… and slow dancing.
• mock her ankles.

Okay, seriously…don NOT do any of these things if you value your relationship. Even if you don’t, ignore the above anyway, for your own health and well being as well as hers! (Ladies, now you know the game and may prepare your counter strategies). Instead of all this, start the day off right and set the tone of love and affection with free Valentine’s Day ecards.

The sky’s the limit from there…and no toasters either.