The Curious History of Valentine’s Day: From Ancient Rituals to Victorian Elegance

Valentine’s Day, celebrated each year on 14th February, is a day devoted to love and affection.

Today, it is marked by the exchange of cards, flowers, chocolates, and romantic gestures, but its history is far richer and more complex than many realise. The origins of the holiday stretch back to ancient Rome, through medieval traditions, the Victorian era’s sentimental innovations, and into modern commercial reinventions. Understanding its evolution provides insight into how love has been expressed across the centuries.

From Pagan Rituals to Christian Saints

The roots of Valentine’s Day lie in the Lupercalia, an ancient Roman fertility festival held in mid-February. As part of the celebration, the names of young women were placed in a lottery, and young men would draw a companion for the festival’s duration. This pairing was often light-hearted but carried a sense of sanctioned revelry.

The early Christian Church, recognising the persistence of these pagan customs, sought to replace them with a more acceptable alternative. Thus, the festival was rebranded in honour of St Valentine, a somewhat obscure martyr whose connection to romantic love is tenuous at best.

Over time, stories linking St Valentine to acts of love began to emerge. Some accounts claim he secretly performed marriages for soldiers forbidden to wed, while others suggest he sent messages of affection while imprisoned. Though the specifics remain uncertain, the association between Valentine and love endured, and by the Middle Ages, his feast day had become a recognised occasion for courtship.

Medieval and Early Modern Traditions

By the 14th and 15th centuries, the idea of choosing a romantic partner on Valentine’s Day was firmly established in England and France. The belief that birds began to pair off around this date reinforced the notion that 14th February was a natural time for love. Geoffrey Chaucer and other poets of the period contributed to the romanticisation of the day, embedding it into European courtly culture.

The custom of drawing lots to determine a “Valentine” persisted in various forms. In some cases, it was a game played at social gatherings, with names drawn from a container to determine temporary romantic matches. Over time, these pairings were formalised with small gifts or letters—early precursors to the modern Valentine’s card.

Samuel Pepys, the 17th-century diarist, provides glimpses into how the tradition evolved. He recorded how he and his wife took part in the Valentine’s lottery and how gifts, including gloves, silk stockings, and garters, became part of the exchange. These tokens of affection, while playful, often carried an underlying significance, reinforcing the idea that love should be accompanied by tangible expressions.

The Rise of the Commercial Valentine

The handmade Valentine letter, featuring poetic verses or sentimental declarations, grew in popularity during the 18th century. However, not everyone possessed the skill to compose a heartfelt message, leading to the rise of pre-made Valentines. By the late Georgian period, embossed paper and decorative stationery became fashionable, and by the Regency era, commercial Valentines were being produced on a modest scale.

The 19th century saw an explosion in the popularity of Valentine’s cards, fuelled by advances in printing technology and the widespread adoption of the Penny Post in 1840. The affordability of sending a letter enabled a greater number of people to participate in the tradition, and by the mid-19th century, millions of Valentines were exchanged annually. These cards often featured elaborate embossing, lace patterns, and gilded decorations, sometimes housed in decorative boxes. The most exquisite examples were produced by firms such as Marcus Ward and George Meek, whose designers crafted intricate, multi-layered cards adorned with delicate motifs of flowers, cupids, and poetic verses.

Eugene Rimmel, a celebrated perfumer and stationer, took Valentines to new heights, incorporating fragrances, musical elements, and even mechanical features. His whimsical designs included sweet-boxes lined with satin, musical cards that played romantic tunes, and exotic materials sourced from around the world. His creations, though expensive, set a precedent for the extravagance that came to define the holiday.

The Comic Valentine and the Decline of Elegance

Not all Valentines were tender declarations of love. By the late 19th century, a new genre of Valentine emerged—the comic or “vinegar” Valentine. These satirical cards poked fun at the recipient, often in a cruel or mocking tone. Some featured unflattering caricatures or messages teasing a person’s appearance or romantic failures. While these cards provided amusement for the sender, they were not always well received by those on the receiving end.

The increasing commercialisation of the holiday, combined with the mass production of less refined designs, led to a decline in quality by the late Victorian period. The once-lavish Valentines of the 1860s and 1870s, with their real lace, pressed flowers, and hand-painted elements, gave way to cheaper, gaudier designs. By the 1880s, the craftsmanship that had defined the best Victorian Valentines was largely lost, and the holiday began to take on a more commercialised character.

The 20th Century: Telegrams, Cards, and Revivals

Despite the decline in artistry, Valentine’s Day remained popular into the 20th century. In 1929, the tradition of sending Valentines saw a revival, and in 1935, the British Post Office introduced the “St Valentine’s Telegram,” designed by Rex Whistler. This brightly coloured, decorative telegram provided a new way for lovers to send affectionate messages, and tens of thousands were dispatched on 14th February.

Throughout the 20th century, Valentine’s cards continued to evolve. Advances in printing made cards more affordable and widely available, and new themes emerged to reflect changing social norms. The tradition of sending anonymous Valentines persisted, and while many cards remained sentimental, others embraced humour or novelty designs.

Valentine’s Day in the Modern Age

Today, Valentine’s Day is one of the most commercially significant holidays, with billions spent annually on gifts, dinners, and experiences. While the handcrafted charm of Victorian-era Valentines is largely a thing of the past, nostalgia for these elegant designs has fuelled a renewed interest in vintage cards. Antique Valentines are now sought after by collectors, and some modern card manufacturers have revived traditional motifs in their designs.

Despite its long and sometimes convoluted history, Valentine’s Day remains a celebration of love in all its forms. Whether through a heartfelt note, a simple bouquet, or an extravagant gesture, the essence of the holiday endures. From its pagan roots to its Victorian heyday and beyond, the ways we express love on 14th February continue to evolve, proving that romance, in all its varieties, is timeless.

Summarised from ‘The English Festivals’ by Laurence Whistler

In Britain, several pilgrimage traditions are associated with Saint Valentine, reflecting the enduring veneration of the patron saint of love. Notably, relics of Saint Valentine are housed in various locations, attracting visitors seeking blessings for their romantic endeavours.

Glasgow, Scotland

In 1868, a wealthy French family donated a small wooden box labeled “Corpus Valentini Martyris” (“the Body of Saint Valentine”) to a Franciscan church. This relic of his forearm was brought to Glasgow and placed in Saint Francis’ Church in the Gorbals area, where it remained relatively unknown for over a century. In 1999, the relic was transferred to the nearby Blessed St. John Duns Scotus Church, where it now holds a place of honour at the church’s entrance. Each year, on February 14th, the relic is adorned with flowers, and the friars offer prayers for lovers. This tradition has led Glasgow to be affectionately dubbed the “City of Love.” 

Birmingham, England

The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in Birmingham preserves a reliquary containing fragments associated with Saint Valentine. While less prominent than other sites, it remains a place of quiet reflection for those honouring the saint. 

These pilgrimage sites offer individuals the opportunity to connect with the legacy of Saint Valentine, seeking his intercession in matters of the heart. Visiting these shrines, especially on February 14th, has become a cherished tradition for many.