For some, Valentine’s Day is a day for romance, but in Estonia and Finland, the Hallmark Holiday isn’t for lovers— its for BFFs! February 14th AKA Friend’s Day is considered a sacred tradition for the Baltic-Nordic neighbors. Cards are exchanged and dinners are organized in celebration of platonic love. So, whether you’re sharing chocolate this holiday with your friends or significant other, we just hope you'll save a little for us 🍫

THIS WEEK IN AWA AWESOMENESS

👋 Hi Shanghai
💝 Vday with AWA
🎶 History at the Met Opera
💌 Romeo & Juliet IRL

SEE US IN SHANGHAI!

Now open through March 16, you can get up close and personal with the world of AWA (not too close though, please don’t touch) at our Exhibition in Shanghai. Get your tickets stat!

TWO VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS FOR YOU

Now through Sunday, all red & pink items are 15% off in the AWA Shop (no code necessary!) — and every order, no matter what color, will include one of our Valentine’s stickers on the house. So snag a special something for your special someone, BFF, or heck, even yourself. Take a peek!

If your plea was, “Cupid, draw back your bow and send me some good stories,” the cherubic god has answered your prayers. From the origins of “wearing your heart on your sleeve” to the real-life love story of Queen Victoria, we hope this assortment of stories gives you some butterflies.

💌 The legend of St. Valentine
📚 A poet’s home for heartbreak
🤕 Why we wear our hearts on our sleeves
👑 A renowned royal romance

145 million — That’s the number of cards estimated to be sent each year on Valentine’s Day, making it the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. Guess that’s why it’s known as the Hallmark Holiday? Either way, it’s a far cry from the 15th Century when the very first Valentine was sent — from prison!

Yep, the oldest known Valentine was supposedly sent by Charles Duke of Orleans from behind bars in the Tower of London. He wrote a little poem to his wife to tell her ‘Je suis desja d'amour tanné / Ma tresdoulce Valentinee’ (I’m already tired by love, my very sweet Valentine). Though accounts vary, the greeting can be found today at the British Library in London. If you visit, please note, no food or drinks are allowed inside - that includes chocolate.

So fine, we can’t be your Secret Admirer, but we can be your Secret Link Provider! (That rhymes, but sounds weirdly like a cell phone company, anywho…) Search around this bulletin to win an AWA Red Beanie and a Valentine’s Day Sticker Pack - happy searching lovebirds!