Wacky Valentine’s Day Trivia

Donna Hatch
Here’s some wacky and fun Valentine Day’s trivia: Valentine’s Day was once a Saint’s Day named after two (or three, depending on the source) different martyred priests all called Valentinus, a common Roman name. Some legends also claim a priest named Valentinus performed illegal Christian marriages when Rome was in power so he was executed as a criminal. The  Shakespearean “Hamlet” mentions Valentine’s Day.  Ophelia sings, “Good morrow! ‘Tis St. Valeintine’s Day; All in the…

Valentine’s Day in Regency England

Donna Hatch
Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Regency England was very different from the way we celebrate it today. It consisted of gentlemen and ladies–even people of all classes–exchanging hand-made cards with hand-written verses. During the Victorian Era, Valentine’s Day cards became mass produced, but in the Regency, such a gesture required more thought and care. Cards sent were as varied as the senders. Some made their cards with gilt-edged paper, trimmed with lace–real lace, not paper lace…