well, it depends. Are you talking about a Valentine card or a Valentine person? Since a Valentine could be referring to either.

I haven't received a Valentine card or heart since I was young. We traded them in school, so pretty much everyone got a card (teacher's orders!) unless someone wanted to be particularly mean and "accidentally forget" another person's card. When I was in the second grade, my crush's mom drove him over for a play date. He brought me a rose and store-bought card. It made my year!

And as for an actual Valentine date, I also haven't really done that since I was young. In my teenage and now adult life, I've only dated a few guys for long periods. Valentine's day for us was not about the cards or gifts or romantic dinners. It was just about spending time with one another.

In the most basic sense, a Valentine (card) is usually something cute or sweet. It can be home-made like a cutout paper heart, or it can be store bought, like a Hallmark card. They're even better if they come with a flower or some candy. =)

Sometimes people give them to each other just to be nice--they don't always have to be romantic. I have had close friends give me one, just to show they cared. I have even received one from my mom once when my boyfriend and I had recently broken up.

The best way to hope for something for Valentine's day is to first give to someone else. The other person might have completely forgot about Valentine's day, or maybe they are also alone. You can buy cute, small cards in whole packs and simply write "Have a great day!" on them. You can even attach some lollipops or a small piece of chocolate. If you don't know anyone to give them to, try leaving some in the neighbors' mailboxes or hand one to the clerk at a coffee shop. Your small gift might just be what another person needs that day, or maybe it will inspire others to do the same next year.