Curated by Gary Meyer. (February 8, 2026)
Several years ago I curated a large selection of odd and ironic Valentine’s Day cards and nostalgia with movie stars and celebrities joining in. Plus a gallery about food and drink as the way to our hearts.
This year we thought a lot more vintage images and some contemporary selections could make your heart laugh and would brighten your week. But be warned, some of these cards are cringy. Others are surprising (women’s suffragettes featured on cards—to balance to the horny little boys that dominated these cards for decades). We have some fun videos, “My Funny Valentine” as performed by two of our favorite singers plus Bad Bunny’s Valentine’s videos.
Valentine’s Day has a history with references going back to 269 AD with Saint Valentine (The Martyr), a 3rd-century Roman priest or bishop was executed on February 14. Legend says he defied Emperor Claudius II by secretly performing marriages for soldiers and sent the first “valentine” note to his jailer’s daughter signed “From your Valentine”.
Enjoy.
Frank with daughter Nancy
Lisa Loring played Wednesday Addams in the 1964-66 TV sitcom, “The Addams Family.”
The First Screen Kiss
“Bank of True Love,” circa 1852
Pope Gelasius I (The Formalizer) officially established February 14 as The Feast of Saint Valentine in 496 AD. Historians often suggest this was an attempt to Christianize the pagan Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, though some modern scholars debate this direct link.
Clara Bow
Anybody know who she is?
Geoffrey Chaucer (The Romanticizer)was the English poet widely credited with first linking the day to romantic love in his 1382 poem, The Parliament of Fowls.
He wrote that birds choose their mates on this day, sparking the tradition of Valentine’s Day as a celebration for lovers.
“This music video features Bad Bunny as a janitor, cleaning up what appears to be an Airbnb after a Valentine’s Day celebration. He is seen looking at the celebrations’ remains, picking up trash, washing a toilet, cleaning a mirror, and washing the tourists’ laundry. He prepares the property for the next couple, who arrive right after he’s done putting everything into place. At the end of the video, the party pulls up with his song “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR” blasting from the car’s speakers, presumably ready to party and make the place a mess again.” Read Jeanette Hernandez’ s full article.
(English subtitles available by going to the gear/settings wheel, subtitles, auto translate, English)
Esther A. Howland (The Commercializer) is known as the “Mother of the American Valentine.” She began mass-producing elaborate lace-trimmed cards in the 1840s, transforming the holiday into a major commercial event in the United States.
Four restored color cartoons from the Fleischer’s Famous Studios including a follow the bouncing ball singalong, “Toys Will Be Toys.”
Marilyn Monroe
Watch AI at work here with these odd videos of classic movie stars making hand and arm hearts in stunning color. These are a few screenshots.
India’s Cadbury 5 Star Candy started their hilarious anti-Valentine’s Day campaign several years ago to great success but it is virtually unknown in North American.
But this year they are making amends—again with humor.
To watch the whole six years of commercials go here.
As we wrap this thing up having gotten more lost than intended plunging the depths of the Internet, I think you will find the Henry Ford Collection of special interest.
And do visit our previous entries, “Food & Drink Is the Best Way to Our Hearts” and “Show Biz and Just Plain Weird Valentine’s Day Cards.”
It was collected few years ago and just looking at it I see a few duplicate images but overall it is very different.