People of all ages enjoy receiving Valentines. In order of popularity, Valentine’s Day cards are given to teachers, children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.
In Medieval times people who couldn’t write their names, signed with an X in front of a witness. The person then kissed the X to show they were sincere. This is why many think that the X has been associated with the kiss when people write X and O for kisses and hugs.
The city of Verona, Italy, which is where Shakespear’s lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives 1000 letters addressed to Juliet each Valentine’s Day. This inspired the movie, Letters to Juliet.
The oldest existing love poem is written on a clay tablet and dates from the time of the Sumarians who invented writing around 3500 B.C.
Candies were among the earliest Valentine gifts, the most common being chocolates in heart-shaped boxes. More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold this year.
About 3% of pet owners will give a Valentine’s Day gift to their pet.
Bonnie Holidays all ages, Letters to Juliet, Valentine Facts, Valentine's Day
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Love yourself,
And others will too!
Bonnie Holidays happy, love, love yourself, Valentine's Day
Sharing love enhances our age-esteem.
A tradition I have tried to keep over the years is to personally create the Valentine’s cards I send. They usually are collages with hearts, feathers and papers of varying textures. Each is a unique labor of love. I send them through the post in an old fashioned handwritten, stamped envelope.
A year ago I declared a Valentine’s Day each week. Once a year seems much too limiting for this positive expression of caring.
I caught this idea from Shirley Pollock who made it her job to send a note to someone each day. Sometimes it was a thank you. Other times she simply said she was thinking about you or hoped you were feeling better. She expressed praise for something you had done or reminded you of one of your qualities that she admired. Her notes were treasured by those who received them. She made every day a Valentine’s Day!
My original goal was to send at least one special note each week. Over past months this has grown. I now write several cards each week to let others know how special they are to me. I find is that focusing on relationships in this way makes positives excel and negatives disappear.
Why not make every day a Valentine’s Day and fill your heart with love?
Bonnie Holidays age-esteem, heart, love, Shirley Pollock, tradition, Valentine's Day
What a wonderful invention Valentine’s Day is!
It nudges us with encouragement to express love. On the 14th of February we step out of our regular routine to remind friends and family that we love them. They are important to us.
Lacy cards with poems, bouquets of red roses, candies that say Be My Valentine, and heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates are just some of the ways we express our feelings to tell people they’re special.
Letting others know that you are thinking of them and that you care is healthy for your AgeEsteem. You focus on
- People who you love of all ages
- The blessings of friends and family
- Reaching out to others
- Renewing and strengthening contacts
- Creating or finding the right message
- Celebrating happiness
Bonnie Holidays AgeEsteem, love, reaching out, Valentine's Day
