The season of love is here and Valentine’s Day is in full swing. While some people shame the “Hallmark Holiday” it still is a great time to appreciate your loved ones. One of the most underrated forms of showing affection is by picking out and filling out a thoughtful card.

According to Hallmark, over 145 million cards are exchanged over Valentine’s Day. Even though that number may seem huge, when there are over 325 million people in the United States, that means only one third of people are either receiving or giving out Valentine’s Day cards.

Some people go all out for Valentine’s Day and get expensive gifts, others opt for homemade gifts to convey what you’re thinking. If you are good with words, you can make your own homemade card and really let your Valentine know you care.

Cards are good for any occasion. Whether you’ve been with someone for years, or are just starting out, thoughtful cards are the perfect way to say how you feel. Even just signing a card shows that you care.

We live in the Amazon Prime age where you can ship whatever you want to whoever you want and they’ll receive it in two business days. Buying things for someone is always sweet, but sometimes physical goods aren’t as important as reading that someone loves you.

We live in a world that’s fast paced and constantly changing. Sometimes we need to take a minute to slow down and appreciate the people we love. We’re always so distracted by everything going on in the world, we don’t realize how many people go out of their way to support us.

Whether you have a large support system, or a small one, there’s people who help you in ways you might not even recognize. Even if you don’t want to send a card, even just call your loved ones to tell them how you feel.

While the items you receive as presents might get lost, overused or damaged, with cards you’ll always have that piece of handwritten love to keep with you forever.

Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Jacey Gonzales is a student at the University of Nevada and studies journalism. She can be reached at jaceygonzales@sagebrush.unr.ed and on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.