| Declaring that Valentine’s Day cards are usually only “boring lovey-dovey stuff,” Nathaniel Graham decided to start a business producing educational valentines. The cards contain interesting facts and historical information. Graham intends to expand his business to instructive Christmas stocking stuffers and lists of productive New Year’s resolutions if sales go well this holiday. He has submitted several samples of his valentines’ messages to our newspaper:
- Valentine’s Day got its start in the Roman Empire in the third century when Emperor Claudius banned marriages in hopes that men would join his army if they couldn’t have families. Saint Valentine was arrested and thrown in jail for performing marriages illegally. Saint Valentine died on February 14, and it is rumored that he left a note to a prison guard’s daughter who had become his friend. He signed it, “From Your Valentine.”
- Young men and women in the Middle Ages randomly drew names each year to see who their valentines would be. They then pinned the names to their sleeves for one week to show their affection. If you’ve ever heard the expression, “wearing your heart on your sleeve,” this is where it comes from.
- The most popular Valentine’s Day candies are Necco Sweethearts Conversation Hearts. They now feature more than 100 sayings but began with only five in 1902. The originals were: “Be Mine,” “Be Good,” “Be True,” “Kiss Me” and “Sweet Talk.”
|
|
