But, the British Library in London holds the oldest known surviving valentine, a poem composed in French in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans to his wife, which he sent while imprisoned in the Tower of London.Īnd lest one think that only incarcerated men were once capable of sending love notes, the British Library also possesses the oldest known valentine in the English language, a poem composed in 1477 by a woman named Margery Brews to her fickle fiancé. But the majority of historic valentines still in existence today came from European lovers in the Victorian period and were handmade and hand-printed monstrosities, quite unlike the mass-produced, and relatively slender, greeting cards of the current era. The poem specifically refers to February 14 as a day when birds and humans both go in search of mates.
That's when Chaucer wrote a poem called the Parliament of Foules, in which he links courtly love to a celebration of St. Geoffrey Chaucer, the medieval poet, may have invented the holiday around 1375. It was intended to cast evil spirits out of town, which then would welcome in health and fertility. But that had nothing to do with love, per se. To celebrate that holiday, you people smeared blood on their foreheads and ran through the villages wearing wolfskins. The day shares some history with a Bronze Age paqen Roman celebration called Lupercalia. The day was designated as the Feast of Saint Valentine by Pope Gelasius in 496 AD. There is enough confusion about the truth of his life and death that the Catholic Church discontinued liturgical veneration of him in 1969 yet, his name still remains among the lists of the saints. Valentine"), this temple priest was beheaded for helping Christian couples marry. Enamored with his jailor’s daughter, Valentine reportedly sent her a letter before his execution. Valentine of Rome (there are a dozen or so others also known as "St.
While there’s some debate about who first sent a V-Day missive, some sources say the down-and-out Saint Valentine himself actually sent the first valentine.
It’s generally accepted that the world has Saint Valentine to thank for what has become known as a "Hallmark holiday." But the stories behind the real first Valentine are more interesting than you might guess. Go ahead and tell those around you how much they really matter to you with one of these 50 handcrafted Valentine’s Day cards.Today's the day that some dread, others forget and still others can't wait to celebrate. Of course, homemade cards aren't just for kids, and we have also have DIY cards for adults that you can customize with a special message or romantic Valentine's Day quote. Many of these card ideas work as kid-friendly Valentine's Day crafts for your little ones to bring to school and place in their classmates’ Valentine’s Day boxes. If you’re looking to get your kids involved with crafting a heartfelt card, then we have plenty of easy DIY cards that fill the bill. Homemade cards are sure to warm your recipient's heart and bring a smile to their face, and if you can handle simple Valentine's Day crafts, then these easy Valentine's Day card ideas are for you. Valentine's Day is for celebrating love of all kinds, and if you're looking to share thoughtful messages with all your friends and family this year, then the best way to do so is with DIY Valentine’s Day cards.
It’s not just your significant other who should get a special Valentine’s Day note on February 14.