Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentines were a big deal in Victorian England.

The actual valentine cards-- not flowers, gifts, or chocolates-- were exchanged and cherished. They were handmade and highly sentimental affairs, elaborately trimmed in ribbon, lace, feathers, flowers, even glass or metal bits. They became so elaborate, in fact, that a commercial industry emerged around them, with some making and selling their designs.

This led to eventual commercial printing and mass-production, though the embellishments remained a key feature, with some so thick with fluff that they wouldn't fit in any sort of envelope. By the 1870s, Valentines came in presentation boxes, and some had mechanical workings like levers or dials to make figures dance, or birds flutter wings. Some unfolded like fans.

The words inside were as important as the design, often effusive and lyrical unabashed pleas for affection. Always sentimental to an extreme. With the onset of WWI, the art of the elaborate valentine died out in favor of simpler designs.

I wonder what sort of valentine cards Charlotte made, sent, or received? She's still off whittling stakes, so I will have to ask her later. :)

For more Valentine's Day fun, check out http://www.history.com/content/valentine. If you're not a fan of Valentine's Day, I recommend curling up with a good book until it's over. Perhaps To Hell with Love?

What did you get or give for Valentine's Day? Your most favorite Valentine's Day? Or do you prefer to avoid it?