Valentine's Day Cards

Valentines have been popular since the Middle Ages, when lovers spoke or sang their romantic verses. By the seventeenth century, Europeans traditionally exchanged gifts and notes with friends and sweethearts on February 14.

Early Valentines were often religious in nature. It is possible that the Sacred Heart depicted on these cards eventually became the Valentine Heart and the customarily accompanying Angel became Cupid. Although nuns made these Valentines, history did not record to whom the nuns sent them.

By the early 1800s, Valentines began to be mass-produced. It was not unusual for a manufactured Valentine of this era to cost a month's earnings, particularly "proposal valentines," which often depicted a church or a ring.

Valentine's Day cards became popular in America during the Civil War and often depicted sweethearts parting.

Valentine cards are often accompanied by gifts of candy, flowers, and perfume. The tradition of giving red roses probably originated because they were believed to be the favorite flower of Venus, Roman Goddess of Love. The tradition of giving perfume to one's sweetheart originated with the classic cult character, Pepe Le Pew.

In Victorian times, it was considered improper for a lady to send a Valentine greeting to a man. Today, Valentine's Day cards rank second only to Christmas cards in terms of the volume of greetings sent. February 14 is the day to tell every one in your life-sweetheart, pet, favorite nun--that you love them.