Valentine’s cards possess rich history

HANNAH LOGUIDICE on campus editor

The origins of Valentine’s Day date back to Rome around 496 AD, according to a 2022 BBC article written by Anna Maria Barry.“From 13 to 15 February, ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. Many believe that the origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to this ancient fertility festival,” Barry said. Though this is the origin of Valentine’s Day, the holiday has evolved significantly over the years. In modern day, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by people all over the world.

To celebrate, people give gifts to the people in their lives they care about, and one of the more common gifts is a Valentine’s day card.

Similar to the holiday itself, Valentine’s Day cards have gone through a significant evolution. According to Barry, the first surviving Valentine’s Day greeting was written in the 15th century by the Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned. The letter said, “Je suis desja d’amour tanné. Ma tres doulce Valentinée,” which translates to: “I am already sick of love, my very gentle Valentine.”

Valentine’s Day cards began to be common in the 1700s when, according to the BBC, the first printed card was published by John Fairburn. The card was hand colored and pierced with lace and depicted cupids, doves and flowers.

In the 19th century, printing became more common, and the use of Valentines Day cards became increasingly common, and more modern day humorous designs became popular.

According to an article by Hallmark, the true rise of the modern Valentines Day card began in 1910 with the first publishing of Hallmark Valentine’s Day cards, Hallmark has been printing Valentines Day cards ever since and have become a staple in many people’s Valentine’s Day traditions.

Feb. 14 is a day every year for romantic dinners, dates with a loved one, or sitting at home alone and watching rom coms.

Everyone has their one go-to movie for when they want to experience what it would feel like to fall in love. Whether you are a fan of The Notebook or 10 Things

I Hate About You, one sentiment reigns true: people want their lives to be like a rom com.

From a young age, people watch movies such as Cinderella and hope that one day they will have a love story that is worthy to be shown on the big screen. Even rom coms such as The Notebook that romanticize some parts of relationships that are not ideal.

But, why can’t life be like a rom com?

All rom com movies feature seemingly real situations, such as illness or cheating, but somehow the story always ends up coming together perfectly in the end.

Sadly, real life is full of challenges that are usually unpredictable. Life does not come with a guide that will help people find the loves of their lives , and there is no user manual when it comes to dealing with difficult relationships.

As amazing as it would be if it did happen, a young Heath Ledger will, most likely, not direct an entire marching band to serenade you after you get done with soccer practice. The odds of a tainted lover standing outside of your bedroom window with a boombox are also not in your favor.

Even though it is sad to think about the fact that you will never have a love like Jack and Rose from Titanic, there is still hope.

Cling onto the fact that you may be lucky enough to, some day, experience a love that will shape the way that you look at life. A kind of love that will shake you to your core, and will make you come out a stronger person; a kind of love that sweeps you off your feet and makes you feel like the luckiest person in the world.

So, even though you may never sail the ocean with your one true love, or kiss your high school crush on your 16th birthday, there is still value in romanticizing the relationships that will come your way.