Why
do we celebrate Valentine's Day?
Every
February, across the country, candy, flowers
and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name
of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why
do we celebrate this holiday?
The history of Valentine's Day - and its patron saint -
is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has
long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we
know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient
Roman tradition.
So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated
with this ancient rite? One legend contends that Valentine
was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.
When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better
soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed
marriage for young men - his crop of potential soldiers.
Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied
Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers
in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius
ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that
Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians
escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten
and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first
"Valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed
that Valentine fell in love with a young girl - who may
have been his jailer's daughter - who visited him during
his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he
wrote a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine". An
expression that is still in use today. Although the truth
behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly
emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most
importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the
Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints
in England and France.
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Vintage
Valentine Cards
Click
on any of these images, you can print them off or email
them to your loved one
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One of my favorite ideas is to get a few friends together
and have a Valentine card party. Serve a few snacks, have
each person bring a different craft supply, and come up
with some great ideas for some beautiful handmade Valentine's.
These beautiful vintage Valentine's are fun and easy to
make. There is so much you can do with cards. Take these
directions as a starting point and then try your own variations.
Suggested
Supplies:
Heavy paper or cardstock (red or gold looks good)
8 1/2 x 11 sheets of parchment (or similar type) paper
Paper dollies
Glitter 1/4 to 1/8th inch satin ribbon
Construction paper
Elmer's Glue or any glue stick
Scissors
Hole puncher
Various colors of pens and pencils
Text for the inside of your card (you can print from computer,
or hand write your message with markers, glitter pens or
a calligraphy pen) Paper cutter if available.
Cutting
tips:
To get a smooth crisp cut use short cuts. Don't take long
cuts all the way to the tip of the scissors. Take short
rapid cuts near the center of the scissor blades. Always
turn the paper, not the scissors. The scissors should stay
stationary while you rotate the paper as you cut.
Resource Tip:
The Internet and/or library are great resources for poems,
quotes and greetings for your Valentine's.
Directions:
1) Print out these Valentine's out on the parchment paper
(or other smooth paper). Cut them out as you like.
2) Take an 8 ˝ x 11 piece of card stock. Fold it in half
in either direction, depending on your image. This will
be your card. You can fold it. When you fold this 5 1/2
x 8 1/2 piece in half you have a perfect card to fit in
an invitation size envelope. 3) Next, glue your selected
image, which you've trimmed, on to the front of the card
stock you just folded. Cut out your images and cover text
pieces (see cutting tips above). Using the glue stick, carefully
glue them in place, as you desire on the cover.
4) Print the text that you want to use onto the paper of
your choice, or hand write your message. Cut this out and
glue it onto the inside of the folded cardstock Place the
text sheet inside the folded card.
5) You can then use a hole puncher and string through a
ribbon bow, as well as add glitter, if you like. Other ideas
are to use a heart shaped cookie cutter to trace out hearts,
and use old magazines to cut images to paste on in a decoupage
fashion. Click on the images to enlarge them. You can print
them off or email them to your loved one.
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