Monday, February 2, 2009

12 Days til Valentine's Day


Here are 2 old Valentine's I have, they are dated the 1920's.
I wanted to show y'all what the famous Vikipedia says about Valentine's Day, it is interesting about the beginnings, but kind of bazaar...



Valentine's Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Valentine's Day
Traditional symbols of Valentine's Day include hearts, doves, Cupid and love notes.American postcard, circa 1900.
Also called
St. Valentine's Day
Observed by
Christian and Christian-influenced cultures
Type
Christian, cultural, multinational
Significance
Lovers express their feelings to each other
Date
February 14
Observances
Sending greeting cards and gifts, dating.
Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
An alternative theory from Belarus states that the holiday originates from the story of Saint Valentine, who upon rejection by his mistress was so heartbroken that he took a knife to his chest and sent her his still-beating heart as a token of his undying love for her. Hence, heart-shaped cards are now sent as a tribute to his overwhelming passion and suffering. [1]
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[2] The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.[3]
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.[4]

7 comments:

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

Very interesting, especially how the "still beating heart" is what inspired heart shaped valentines. yikes!
I do something very special for my entire family on V-day. I make a formal dinner, usually 4-5 courses, serve it all with the "special" stemware, decorate and play cheesy love songs...I also give the family choco dipped strawberries. They love that.

Debra Howard said...

Interesting but very gory. Kindof loses some of its romance. I have always loved treating my family with my best dishes, crystal,etc and fresh flowers on Valentines.
Debbie

Tootsie said...

Kinda makes the polish fall off the whole thing lol....thanks for the visit today...and I love those cards!

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

Hi Lilly !!
Glad to hear you are feeling better. Having the stomach flu isn't any FUN...yuk!!
Interesting Valentine info. Your Valentine postcards are very pretty.
Hope you get out and find some bargins thrifting!!
Warmly,
Deb

Anonymous said...

Wonderful... I love to celebrate Valentines Day with my friends!!

Anonymous said...

Hi again Lilly! This was interesting, I agree! I have always hated Valentines day!!! When you're a kid you worry no one will give you one in class; as a teen you're depressed if you don't have a boyfriend; then when you have a relationship the pressures on to make it "extra special"! It's always given me a "headache"!!lol lol How's that for attitude!? lol Well it is a good excuse to eat chocolate(s)! Jeannette

Creations from my heart said...

thanks so much for visiting my blog and the sweet comments about my apron in Apronology. I kenjoyed vistiding you blog. blessings...Sherry