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The sending of Valentine Cards in the US didn’t pick up pace until after the Civil War. On February 4, 1867, the New York Times wrote that in 1862 post offices in New York City had accepted 21,260 Valentines for delivery. 1863 showed a slight increase, but the number fell to 15,924 the year after. The modern-day evolution of the Ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, Valentine's Day, has been celebrated with different traditions across the globe for millennia. While Valentine’s Day had gained in popularity in the UK throughout the 17th century, no culture celebrated the day with more enthusiasm and excitement than the Victorians. Old Valentines, by Constance Cary Harrison (Century, 1883A) A look back at some of the older (pre-Valentine's Day card) traditions of the season. St. Valentine's Day, by Dora de Blaquière (Girl's Own Paper, 1880) When this article was written, Valentines were still popular in Victorian Britain, but seemed to be tapering off. Valentines, by Handmade valentines were exchanged up until the 1850s until mass-produced cards began to be produced. In this week’s instalment we will look at how St. Valentine’s Day was celebrated in the 19th century as well as looking at cards and newspaper coverage of the time. Late Victorian Era Valentine’s Day. “During the late nineteenth century, the occasion of St. Valentine’s Day was a chance for novelty in entertaining. Valentine’s Day party ideas such as luncheons, teas, socials and fancy dress functions of all sorts were easily and artistically arranged with flowers, hearts, darts and cupids. For teenage get-togethers, the romantic-sounding ‘Meatburgers’ were the order of the day for Valentine’s suppers, according to the Hinckley Times in February 1960. A strange valentine In 1861 , a young gentleman in Dunfermline, Scotland, received a donkey as a valentine. Chocolates too, thank goodness, also became a huge Valentine’s Day tradition during the Victorian period. Richard Cadbury (1833-1899), the heir of the chocolate empire, is credited with creating the first heart-shaped box for Valentine’s chocolates. Valentine’s Day cards played an important role in courting rituals of the 19th century. Valentines served, in effect, as ambassadors. The pen became a substitute for a person’s physical presence. The first valentines were handmade and were used well before the advent of postage stamps and the use of envelopes. Thus, valentines were usually sent anonymously. Both to protect the giver and the receiver. Valentine’s Day reached its height of celebration in the Victorian Era. Valentine cards were more cherished that Christmas cards (which weren’t printed commercially until 1846), perhaps because of the sentimentality attached to them. As an increasingly commercial object, the valentine’s ability to convey emotion waned. Saint Valentine’s history is somewhat obscure, a fact of which many Victorians would have been aware. This day of celebration was said to have marked the martyrdom of either a Roman priest c.AD270, or a Bishop from central Italy. Robert McNamara, and expert in 19th century history relates that St. Valentine’s Day celebrations date back to at least the Middle ages when the day was observed as Choose Your Romantic Partner Day “because it was believed that birds began mating on that day.” (McNamara “History of St. Valentine’s Day in the 1800s”) He continues by By the mid-1850s the sending of manufactured Valentine’s Day cards was popular enough that the New York Times published an editorial on February 14, 1856 sharply criticizing the practice: "Our beaux and belles are satisfied with a few miserable lines, neatly written upon fine paper, or else they purchase a printed Valentine with verses ready Valentine’s Day was observed in the 19th century by the Victorians with a combination of traditional customs and emerging commercial practices. Many Valentine’s Day cards during this time were handmade, intricately crafted with lace, ribbons, and embossed designs. These cards were often exchanged between lovers, family members, and friends. In the Victorian era, and into the 20th century, lovers exchanged elaborate lace-trimmed cards on Valentine’s Day, expressing their undying love and devotion with sentiments and poems.For those Valentine’s Day cards still flourish. E-valentines are, however, on the rise, but just as in Dickens’s time, on Valentine’s Day we still depend on the Post Office to deliver our heartfelt wishes “by the bushel.” Related material. A Victorian History of Valentine’s Day Cards; Bibliography. Bradford, Emma, ed. Roses are Red: Love and In the Victorian Era, Valentine’s Day Was a Celebration of Same-Sex Romance. Such "smashes" were encouraged when women were considered "passionless." Anya Jabour February 14, 2023 The practice of gifting flowers—especially roses—on Valentine's Day started in the Victorian era, when flowers were used to communicate hidden meanings. Today, roses are still the top choice, symbolizing love and romance. Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14; this year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts Making Your Mark on Valentine’s Traditions – DIY Ideas. Valentine’s Day offers a unique opportunity to bridge past and present. By understanding and incorporating our ancestral traditions, we celebrate not just love, but our cultural identity. This Valentine’s Day, consider how you can honor both your heart and your heritage.
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