Valentine's Day has been celebrated around the globe for hundreds of years and it remains a popular occasion for couples of all ages. Whether you have been with your partner for many years or are currently enjoying the initial thrill of a new relationship, Valentine's Day provides the perfect opportunity to shut yourselves away from the late winter chill and spend an evening together celebrating everything that makes your relationship special. With an estimated one billion Valentine's Day cards sent globally each year, the traditional hand written love notes that characterised Valentine's Day in previous times have given way to mass produced greetings cards pre-printed with verses and messages of adoration.

While these do make it easier to get your message across, especially for those of us that are not too confident in expressing our feelings, one downside of the shift to off-the-peg gift cards is that an element of the romance and individuality of the original Valentine's celebration has been lost.

When it comes to Valentine's Day Cards, the words themselves are not actually that important to the recipient, it is more about whether or not they really come from the heart. If you take a little extra time and give your loved one a sincere and honest message that tells them exactly what you love about them, they will be much more impressed. Showing that you value your relationship enough to personalise your Valentine's card with your own words will signal your commitment and devotion and help you to connect as a couple.

Choosing a card to appeal to your partner's personality shows that you pay attention and you care about their preferences, even if you do not always share them. Personalising the card with their own name and your special message will leave them in no doubt where your heart belongs and is a fun way to express your feelings without breaking the bank. Romance does not have to be about lavish meals and extravagant gifts; the simple act of sharing some quality time together, away from the interruptions of everyday life and taking the time to really listen to each other can create a warm and loving experience that you will both cherish, long after the day itself is over.

Regular sessions spent like this as a couple are vital for maintaining the spark in any relationship and you should find that putting a little effort into celebrating your love every now and again does wonders for the durability of your union. So this Valentine's Day, don't worry too much about fancy gifts and big gestures but try to rediscover the traditional Valentines spirit with personalised and heartfelt messages and some quality time together.

Choosing Valentine's Day Cards that suit the message you wish to send can be great fun so don't take it too seriously and be as creative as you like. It is often easiest to decide the essence of the message you want to convey to your sweetheart and then choose a card to match it. If you want it to be memorable and let's face it, we all do, go for something unusual and steer clear of mass-produced cards with clichverses inside. If you're single and hoping to catch the eye of someone special this Valentine's Day then you need to choose a card that stands out from the crowd.

If you don't yet know each other well then pick something that gives an insight into your own personality and makes the recipient want to get to know you better. Being a little flirtatious can be a fun way to start things off as this will show how you feel without being too slushy. Choose a card with a playful design and have fun creating a personal message to describe your intentions.

If you have a new man in your sights, you might choose to send him a bikini babe card, depicting a tanned and toned woman in a minuscule bikini. You can really get his pulse racing by having his name tattooed on her hip. You could also choose a soapy shower scene to deliver your message with a muscled male torso and the recipient's name spelt seductively in soap suds on his chest.

Or perhaps you want to make an impression on your husband or wife and remind them that, after all the years together, you still love nothing more than spending time together. Give them a card they won't forget by personalising it with their name and show your commitment with that little bit extra effort. You could choose a card to suit a shared interest and personalise it with a heartfelt message.

Or for someone that likes to travel, even if only in spirit, a unique way to show your love is with a personalised Valentine's card showing an iconic location or building. You could have their name written in the stars amongst the stunning Northern Lights, or in fireworks above the striking New York City skyline. However you choose to deliver your message, the key to a memorable Valentine's Day is spending a little time thinking about what makes your loved one tick and trying to achieve that with your choice of Valentine's Day Cards or gifts.