A History of Valentine's Day
Men began sending tokens to their ‘Valentines’ in the late 18th Century. In 1797 ‘The Young Man’s Valentine Writer’ was published, which suggested verses for young men to send to their sweethearts.
Through the 1800s, as postal services became cheaper and more reliable, Valentines could be sent by post, from anonymous senders, perhaps beginning the tradition of mystery Valentines...
This was also the era in which mass produced paper Valentines began to be produced. Embellished with fabric lace, ribbons and paper lace, and including a little verse, these ornate Valentines’ tokens put our modern mass-produced cardboard creations to shame!
It is estimated that we spend £13.3billion on Valentines gifts, and send around 2.5million cards every year. Take a look below to see Valentine Cards from our collections, some are nearly 150 years old!
So who will be your lucky Valentine..?
Roses are Red...
This now well retold verse found in modern valentines cards can be traced to a book of English nursery rhymes ‘Gammer Gurton’s Garland’ in the 18th Century, and even earlier version found in Edmund Spenser's 1590 tale of ‘The Faerie Queen.’
'The Rose is Red, the Violet’s blue,
The Honey’s sweet, and so are you...'
Valentine’s Day as we know it today is a celebration of love. But who is St Valentine, and why was he such a romantic soul?
St. Valentine
The Saint Valentine we imagine today is a fusion of several Early Christian Martyrs known as ‘Valentine’. Many tales and folk stories have developed about the lives of these martyrs.
One St Valentine is famed for trying to convert Roman Emperor Claudius II to Christianity, and was sentenced to death. Before his execution, St Valentine is said to have healed the blind daughter of his gaoler.
Another story depicts St Valentine as a priest, who failed to follow the law that young Roman men should remain single. The Emperor believed single men made better soldiers. However, Valentine performed secret wedding ceremonies in order for the young soldiers to marry.
St Valentine became associated with love and romance in the 14th Century, the age of ‘Courtly Love’ and chivalry. The poet Geoffrey Chaucer included St Valentine in his poem ‘Parlement of Foules’ in 1382, written to celebrate the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. In modern English, the poem is entitled the ‘Assembly’ or ‘Parliament of Birds’, which is thought to represent the mating of birds:
'For this was on seynt Valentynes day,
Whan every foul cometh there to chese his make'
[For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, When every bird cometh to choose his mate]
This is thought to link to St Valentine of Genoa, celebrated on the 2nd May, the same day the king announced his engagement, and a more likely month for birds to be mating in England. Not February 14th... So where did this date come from?
February 14th
February was traditionally a time of year that was associated with fertility and unions in the ancient world. In Ancient Athens, mid January to mid February was a celebration of the marriage of head God Zeus and Goddess Hera. While in Ancient Rome, February 13th-15th was the archaic rite of ‘Lupercalia’, a festival celebrating fertility.
In France in 1400, the ‘High Court of Love’ was established on February 14th, dealing with acts of betrayal and violence against women.
However it came about, Valentine’s Day is a celebration day to show someone you love them, no matter how tough you are for the other 364 days of the year!