Valentine's Day Postcards
Happy Valentine's Day! Valentine's Day, as with many of our holidays, began in ancient times. I'm not going to go back that far, just into the late 19th century. Did you know that for much of the 19th and early 20th century Valentine's Day wasn't strictly a lover's holiday? It was a general occasion for giving cards of greeting, light humor or teasing, and social compliments. It was common for women to send them to women friends, and men to send them to men friends. Neighbors and co-workers would exchange Valentines. It was the polite thing to do. Postmarked 1909, to Stanley from his "Pal-o." In the Victorian (1837-1901) and Edwardian (1901-1910) eras there were several categories of Valentine's Day cards. Those for friendship were sentimental, often with flowers, doves, lace, and messages such as " With kind regards this St. Valentine's Day ." c. 1908-1912 " Vinegar Valentines " were teasing, chee...