VALENTINE, Texas — For the past 30 years, the post office in Valentine, Texas has offered a special customized postmark during the first few weeks of February.
The postmark's design is selected every year from a contest among local Valentine students.
2021's winner is 8th grader Arturo Gutierrez III. His design depicts two deer that fell in love, inspired by a pair of deer he often saw when visiting his grandmother's grave.
Requests for the special postmark come in from all over the United States each year and even some from other countries.
If you would like to send a mail-in request for the special postmark, you can address a card to the person you would like to receive it and add a first class mail postage stamp. Then place the card in a larger envelope and place the appropriate postage to that envelope.
You should then address the larger envelope to the following address:
VALENTINE’S DAY POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
311 W CALIFORNIA AVE
VALENTINE, TX 79854-9998
Each card will then have the special art added by the Valentine postmaster.
To make sure cards are delivered in time for Valentine's Day, you are asked to send it to the address above no later than February 5.
There is no charge for this special service for the first 50 requests. Anyone asking for more than 50 cards will be charged five cents for each additional card.