| Candy, Cards, and Love: A History of Valentine's Day By: Katie Guthrie Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day comes every year, bringing with it thousands of chocolates, red roses, and cards. Some people refer to it as a “Hallmark Holiday,” but St. Valentine is no figment of Hallmark’s imagination. The history of Valentine’s Day and its patron saint remains murky, but February is definitely the month of love. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints who share the name, all martyrs, and the holiday possesses remnants of ancient Roman tradition as well. Some histories contend that Valentine served as a priest in third century Rome. Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, since he believed single men made better soldiers than those who were attached. Valentine rebelled against this flagrant injustice, continuing to marry young couples in secret. Unfortunately, the Emperor sentenced the poor priest to death when he learned of this. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it became common for friends and lovers of all walks of social life to exchange small gifs or handwritten notes. Advances in printing technology that occurred around the end of the century caused printed cards to increasingly replace handwritten notes. Manufactured cards with printed greetings became an easy way for people to express themselves during a time when demonstrations of affection were discouraged. This, along with cheaper postage rates, helped to speed along the growth of the Valentine’s Day card, the first printed holiday card. The Greeting Card Association estimates that one billion Valentine cards are sent each year. This makes Valentine’s Day second only to Christmas in the greeting card department. Greeting cards have a long history with St. Valentine. Esther A. Howland, also known as the Mother of the Valentine, produced the first commercial cards – consisting of lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures – for the United States back in the 1840s. But why do we love Valentine’s Day so much? It reminds us why we love the people we hold close; “My boyfriend and I were going through a tough time when Valentine’s Day came along,” said Carolina Alegria, a college student. “He spent the whole night driving me to the places that were important to us--where we had our first kiss and where he asked me out. Seeing pieces of our past made me remember why I was with him.” And why do we love the cards? “These pieces were a way of life – they were personal and reflected real people who were very much like us,” said Nancy Rosin, President of the National Valentine Collector’s Association. “Whether store bought or handmade, they are all historic mementos we need to recognize as a part of an important social documentary.” But mass-produced greeting cards aren’t everyone’s first choice. “The ones I especially cherish are the handmade ones,” said Rosin. “When I hold it in my hand, I am transformed, and I can feel the love that created and saved them.” |
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