—OL What’s Love Got To Do With It? Everything! (NAPSA)—Love—or thoughts of love—rules on Valentine’s Day, but there are as many ideas of love as there are cupids—or guys and gals—searching for those words sure to please and perfectly describe their special relationship. Research by Hallmark asked men and women how they felt about valentines, and incorporated the results into planning this year’s valentines. The research revealed some interesting information, according to Tressa Schurz, Valentine’s Day product manager at Hallmark. “Most men perceived that their wives or girlfriends would be happy with a card as long as it was big and had a lot of words,” Schurz says. “In reality, women prefer cards that express genuine, meaningful messages—regardless of the size of the card or the number of words onit.” Most men revealed that they want to receive a valentine—and they feel disappointed when they don’t get one or when the card does not appeal to them (although they’d never admit this to a wife or sweetheart). Women maybe surprised to learn that men tend to prefer to receive cards that put the fun back into Valentine’s Day and the relationship—simple, to the point, and often flirtatious or with sexual overtones. The key to finding the perfect valentine is to match it to the stage of your relationship. For example, the word “love” may not be appropriate for someone you just started dating, which is why many valentines offer warm or humorous messages without using the “L”-word. Hallmark Valentine illustrator Gary Head. The research also revealed that married couples at various life stages want to say different things to their spouse in a valentine. Young couples are seeking light- hearted, flirtatious valentines, while couples with children expressed a need to reconnect with one another and make time for romance. Longtime, established couples also are more likely to reflect on their past, to recall and be grateful for all the special individuals in their lives. Because of this research, Hallmark has expanded its Valentine’s Day card selection to include about 500 cards for couples in love relationships, ranging from cards for those who have just started dating, to racy Shoebox cards and both sensual and simple love cards.
