London: Fancy an ‘isodate’ this Valentine’s Day? Or how about ‘a socially distanced sanitised face covered kiss’? Or ‘will you be my quarantine on Valentine’s? Well these are the questions that are doing the rounds as the day of lovers draw near.
With gags about face masks, temperature checks and social distancing, pandemic-inspired cards feature among the traditional romantic offerings this year. It is indeed a strange development as couples in Britain prepare for Valentine’s Day under lockdown.
Designs on greeting card company sites like ‘Thortful’ and ‘Moonpig’ include depictions of a socially distanced couple in hazmat suits, a mask-wearing heart or a couple long-used to lockdown at home. One card asks: “Will you be my quarantine?”
Panda & The Prince designer Amanda Hallam played on temperature checks for one of her cards on ‘Thortful’. Hallam drew a heart-emblazoned digital thermometer accompanied by the words “I’m so hot for you right now! Isodate? If a card can raise a smile and give people a laugh in slightly challenging times, I think that would be perfect,” the Nottingham-based designer said.
With limited socialising for most of 2020, people have increasingly turned to cards to stay in touch with friends and family. Hallam said she had seen a 200 per cent increase in demand for her cards last year.
At ‘Moonpig’, COVID-19 stay home-themed cards represent five per cent of overall sales, according to the company. “Some of these cards have shot straight into our best selling designs this year,” the company said.
With the number of COVID-19 cases not decreasing, despite vaccination in the United Kingdom, lovers have been forced to be innovative. One couple has decided to be on video call for at least eight hours during the day. They will share flying kisses, virtual hugs, cut a cake and celebrate with wine. “Well we live apart by more than 20 miles. This will be the first Valentine we will not be spending together,” said Jim Thorton from Manchester. “The pandemic has given a new definition to long-distance love. I think we understand each other better now,” he added.
Yes indeed, times have taken a different perspective amid the pandemic. Even St Valentine would be the first to accept that. Quarantine indeed is the order of the day on Valentine’s… no doubt about that.