The first Valentine’s Love Notes appeared in the News Review on February 13, 1986, decorously entitled Expressions of the Heart. Since then, the page has been an annual feature.
We encourage our readers to express their love for each other, their families, their pets, their city – even their newspaper (oh, the brazen hussy). It’s lots of fun to discover a Valentine’s message that you know means YOU – even if disguised (Ya, Snookums you know who you are). And just as much fun to put it there and make sure it gets read – though there is no evidence that cats can read. Sardonic, gushy, slang or sonnet – News Review Valentines have set fond hearts a-pitter-patter for over 35 years.
Examples of the notes are sprinkled throughout this and the next two issues (and should be taken with a pinch of salt). There have been some great notes over the years – for example in 1987, “Jas. K., I’m getting the money, honey” and, more poignantly, “Dear E, I miss hearing your meow, meow. Love, J.” They range from the apocryphal “Feets, Together for always Your sweet babou” to the florid, “Dogged Love Pleading doe eyes lock my orbs for the pleasure feat” and so on for another 80 words or so. Let your inner Shakespeare hang out.
Prices
Notes begin at $6 – which buys up to 20 loving, jolly or poetic words, tastefully enshrined in a little cloud of hearts or similar decoration. Each additional 10 words or part thereof is $3 and the extravagance of the decorative motif increases accordingly. More hearts, more roses. Cupids anybody? A sonnet would cost about $36 but who can put a price on How do I love thee?
To Submit a Love Note
All submissions must include full name and a phone number (neither will be printed but help track your submission and payment). To submit in person, place the Love Note text and exact payment in an envelope and leave it in the News Review Dropbox, located near the cash registers in the Co-op Supermarket, before 6 p.m., Monday, February 7. Notes can also be emailed by 6 p.m. on Monday, February 7 (which saves us typing and is appreciated) but if you do so and also leave payment in the Co-op box, include a copy of the note with the payment so we can match them up.
Electronic Submission
Email the Love Note text to ads@greenbeltnewsreview.com and make payment using Zelle; the email associated with the News Review’s Zelle account is business@greenbeltnewsreview.com (add a comment that identifies your Love Note and include a phone number).
Questions? Email ads@greenbeltnewsreview.com or call the office at 301-474-4131 between 2 and 4 p.m. Monday or Tuesday or on Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m.