The York Castle Museum holds what may be the first printed Valentine’s Day card. It was published in January 1797 by John Fairburn of 146, Minories, London. The verse around the border reads: “Since on this ever Happy day, All Nature’s full of Love and Play Yet harmless still if my design, ‘Tis but to be your Valentine.” Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine: In 1797, a British publisher Valentine's Day was first celebrated in Bangladesh by Shafik Rehman, In 1913 Hallmark Cards produced their first Valentine’s card, representing a key development in the commercialisation of Valentine’s Day. Valentine cards with a golfing theme, 1911. The left card was for the US market, the right card for the British market. World's first printed Valentine's Card It was published on 12th January 1797 by John Fairburn of 146, Minories, London. "Since on this ever Happy day, All Nature's full of Love and Play Valentine’s name: As Christianity spread, so did the Valentine’s Day card. The earliest extant card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. It is now in the British Museum. In the sixteenth century, St. Francis de Sales, bishop of Geneva, attempted to expunge the custom of The first mass-manufactured valentine card was printed in 1797, but it was considered more meaningful to send your lover a handmade card. These cards often included illustrations and references to shepherds and cottages, recalling a declining pastoral way of life in a quickly urbanizing country. As the Internet. became more widely used, digital Valentines gained popularity and e-card Valentines began to be sent in addition to or in lieu of sending paper Valentine’s Day cards to lovers, friends and other loved ones. About this Timeline’s Curator: John Alanis is a well known author of 10 books on Dating and Men’s issues. The oldest printed Valentine’s Day card still in existence is located in the York Castle Museum in England; printed in 1797, it features dove and floral patterns along with the following verse: “Since on this ever Happy day, All Nature's full of Love and Play. Yet harmless still if my design, 'Tis but to be your Valentine. The first real association of St. Valentine’s Day with romantic love, or ‘love birds’, derives from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules (or, ‘Parliament of Fowls’). Dating from 1382, Chaucer celebrated the engagement of the 15 year-old King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia via a poem, in which he wrote: For this was on St. Valentine The transition from lovely day of expression to capitalism at its finest kicked off around 1797, when a British Publisher came out with The Young Man's Valentine Writer, a collection of writing In the fanfare that followed the great Valentine’s Day victory, Jervis was granted a baronetcy and gained the title 1st Earl of St. Vincent. Nelson was knighted and promoted to rear admiral. Jervis would succeed in keeping the Spanish fleet bottled up in the Mediterranean for the ensuing years. And Nelson would continue to be a star ascendant. Chaucer made the first reference to Valentine’s Day as a romantic holiday. Mentioned in Geoffrey’s 699 line poem “Parliament of Fowls,” celebrating the union of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia in 1380. Valentine was later imprisoned for these actions, but made a connection with his jailer by allegedly healing his ailing daughter. Before Valentine’s scheduled execution he wrote the jailer’s daughter a letter and signed the paper “your Valentine” – hence, the first Valentine’s Day card and early history of Valentine’s Day. From Hallmark, the famed greeting card company, (initially Hall Brothers) first offered Valentine’s Day cards in 1913 and began producing them in 1916. According to Hallmark , 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year and this does not include all the packaged Valentines kids share in their classrooms. The mid-19th century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the U.S. to follow. In 1868, the British chocolate company Cadbury created Fancy Boxes — a decorated box of chocolates — in the shape of a heart for Valentine's Day. Boxes of filled chocolates quickly became associated with the holiday. While the twenty-first century has added ecards and texts, putting pen to paper for loved ones and lovers is still popular: “It is this last activity that encapsulates the modern spirit of Valentine’s Day – the profession of love and admiration through the written word.” (“History of Writing Valentine’s Day Cards,” Pen.com) Indeed World's first printed Valentine's Card It was published on 12th January 1797 by John Fairburn of 146, Minories, London. "Since on this ever Happy day, All Nature's full of Love and Play On the cold, misty morning of Valentine’s Day 1797, say Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook on The Rest is History, Admiral Sir John Jervis stood on the deck of HMS Victory off the south coast of Portugal, sure that all was lost. His plan to attack a fleet of 27 Spanish ships with 15 of his own had gone wrong – in all the gun smoke, half his These varied traditions illuminate the many fun and meaningful ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day beyond the conventional dinner date. Whether it’s crafting a love spoon in Wales, participating in a mass wedding in the Philippines, sending a letter to Juliet in Verona, or simply spending the day with friends in Finland or Estonia, these customs underscore the universal and diverse Since the days of her female-led business empire, Valentine's Day has forever been linked to card giving. Hallmark Valentines. In the 20th century (and beyond), the name Hallmark has become synonymous with Valentines for many Americans. Hallmark – or Hall Bros. as it was then called - sold its first Valentine’s Day cards in 1913. Those
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |