Valentine's Day in the Victorian Era

By Kennedi Forsythe 

We have much to thank the Victorians for when it comes to our favorite holiday traditions, in this case Valentine’s Day. One of the most famous aspects of the day of love, the Valentine’s card, surged in popularity during this era, although forms of card giving had existed since the 15th century. With the rise of industrialization, Valentine’s cards became cheaper and easier to distribute. Companies like Dobbs would distribute loving messages with beautiful decorations such as lace, ribbons, and silk. Joseph Addenbrooke in 1834 in particular was one of the first to cultivate this idea of card decorating within the company (1).

A delicate 19th-century lace Valentine - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cards would often contain anonymous declarations of love, for it was considered “improper” to directly confess one’s love for another (2).  Men and women attempted to woo their lovers with sweet poems and drawings of cherubs, hearts, and doves. They would also send cards to friends and family for gossip and small-talk (3). But the most notorious types of cards that thrived in this era were the “vinegar valentines”. They were as vulgar as could be in order to fend off unwanted suitors or warn others of those with bad intentions. They could also be sent between bickering couples. No one was spared: cheats, flirts, and specific professions such as bankers. They became so prolific that they constituted nearly half of all Valentine's cards sent. Some were so offensive that they would produce court cases, bar fights, and even murder (4).

A 19th-century vinegar Valentine - Royal Pavilion and Museums

On a more positive note, aside from cards, little pocket books would be published and sent out around Valentine's Day. These booklets would be on the language of flowers, the idea that each flower or plant had its own distinctive meaning based on its appearance, role in nature, or place in ancient mythological stories. Lovers would employ different types of flowers in their bouquets or card art to mean different things (5).  Different books would say different things, but the majority of them assigned similar meanings to certain flowers. For example, buttercups represented childishness, roses represented love, and apple blossoms were known for preference. Women participated greatly in the production of these booklets, including Kate Greenaway who illustrated the 1884 book, Language of Flowers (6).

An illustrated page from Kate Greenaway’s 1884 Language of Flowers - Internet Archive 

The tradition of chocolate giving also has its roots in the Victorian era. The first box of Valentine’s milk chocolates was created in 1868 by the Cadbury company in the shape of a heart and made from wood. More boxes produced in later years would become more elaborate and detailed in their decorations, even being reused in homes as storing for sewing supplies (7).

These traditions have withstood the tests of time well into the 21st century. They have been practiced and enjoyed by millions of Americans. It makes one wonder: did Amelia Earhart herself exchange personalized cards with her loved ones? Did she ever ponder the language of flowers for a lover or two? Whether or not she did, Earhart grew up in a culture where the aesthetics of the modern Valentine’s Day were beginning to take full form. 

---

Endnotes

1. Beattie, "Victorian Valentines." Victoria and Albert Museum.

2. Andrew, "The Charm and Eccentricity of Victorian Valentine's Day Cards." Hinsdale History.

3. "Valentines." Virginia History.

4. Ponti, "Victorian-Era 'Vinegar' Valentines Could Be Mean and Hostile." History.

5. "Floriography: The Secret Language of Flowers in the Victorian Era." Planterra Events.

6. "The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1857)." The Public Domain Review.

7. "Valentines Day Traditions." Tees Valley Museums.

---

Bibliography

Andrew , Katharine  Korte. “The Charm and Eccentricity of Victorian Valentine’s Day Cards .” Hinsdale History , Hinsdale Historical Society , 14 Feb. 2024, www.hinsdalehistory.org/post/the-charm-and-eccentricity-of-victorian-valentine-s-day-cards.

Beattie , Sarah. “Victorian Valentines .” Victoria and Albert Museum , Victoria and Albert Museum, 13 Feb. 2014, www.vam.ac.uk/blog/caring-for-our-collections/victorian-valentines?srsltid=AfmBOooJeqM2l4fomYnyLTaAHIewfp_bEmTRmhN78ESJhSdTOar5iZ3S.

“Floriography: The Secret Language of Flowers in the Victorian Era .” Planterra Events, Planterra Conservatory, planterraevents.com/blog/floriography-secret-language-flowers-victorian-era.

Ponti , Crystal. “Victorian-Era ‘Vinegar’ Valentines Could Be Mean and Hostile .” History , History , 23 Jan. 2024, www.history.com/news/victorian-valentines-day-cards-vinegar.

“The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1857) .” The Public Domain Review, The Public Domain Review Collection , 26 June 2019, publicdomainreview.org/collection/the-language-of-flowers-an-alphabet-of-floral-emblems-1857/.

“Valentines .” Virginia History , Virginia Museum of History and Culture , virginiahistory.org/learn/valentines.

“Valentines Day Traditions .” Tees Valley Museums , Tees Valley Museums , teesvalleymuseums.org/blog/post/valentines-day-traditions/.