January 24, 2025
Love's Tokens: Exploring the Symbols of Valentine's Day
Although Valentine’s Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring Saint Valentine, modern celebrations focus on how Victorian society expressed their love.
The Victorians are credited with achieving the romantic subtext that today’s Valentine’s Day celebrations entail. They spent hours creating elaborate designs to declare their affections for one another, decorating their papers with lace, ribbons, foil appliques, and symbols that accompanied affirmations of affection.
Many of the concepts of Victorian-era Valentine’s Day remain the same today. Cards, along with flowers and chocolates, are sent from an admirer; their exteriors adorned with red hearts and baby Cupids. The origins of the symbols come from a variety of Greek and Roman culture, but how did the Victorians turn gods into greeting cards? Human hearts into heart shapes? Here is how tokens of love made their way into modern culture.
The History of Valentine's Day Symbols
Hearts
The heart-shaped symbol has evolved over centuries, with many believing that it was inspired by ancient philosophers’ beliefs that the heart was linked to emotions. There are many different beliefs in the origin of the heart shape, ranging from misinterpreted renderings of the shape of a human heart to an herb called silphium that was associated with fertility. Unfortunately, the exact evolution of the heart shape is unclear.
The symbol was seemingly first depicted as a sign of love in the French manuscript, Roman de la poire, in the 13th century. A drawing in Roman de la poire depicts a man holding his heart up to a woman he desires. Meanwhile, poetry dating back to ancient Greece wrote about the beating of their hearts when they experienced love. It was not until the Victorian era, however, that really cemented the use of the heart as a part of their Valentine’s Day card designs.
Greeting Cards and Handwritten Notes
One of the earliest Valentine letters was written in 15th century France by the Duke of Orleans. While imprisoned during the Battle of Agincourt, he wrote to this wife,
“Je suis desja d'amour tanné
Ma tres doulce Valentinée”
The English translation:
“I am already sick of love
My very gentle Valentine”
During the Victorian era, the growing affordability of printing and the introduction of the penny post helped the modern Valentine’s Day card gain popularity. The era displayed ornate, elegant cards featuring full-color images depicting hearts or Cupid surrounded by lace trim and floral motifs.
Esther Howland was the daughter of Southworth Allen Howland, who operated the largest book and stationary store in Worcester, Massachusetts: S.A. Howland & Sons. After receiving a valentine card from one of her father’s business associates, she believed she could make a card better than the ones that were imported from Europe. She became responsible for popularizing Valentine’s Day cards in America and is credited for the introduction of cards that layered lace, ribbon, and other materials to create a three-dimensional look. After her death, she became known as “The Mother of the American Valentine.”
Hall Bros. - known today as Hallmark – sold its first Valentine’s Day card in 1913 and began producing their own designs in 1916. According to Hallmark, approximately 145 million cards are sent for Valentine’s Day each year.
Cupid
The idea of Cupid, the Roman god of love, is another symbol that has evolved over centuries. The Romans reinterpreted Cupid from Eros, the Greek god who is often described as the child of Aphrodite and Ares. Eros frequently appeared as a young adult who spent his days making people fall in love with one another.
As Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe, Greek and Roman gods were replaced, apart from a cherubic Cupid who continued to appear as a symbol for love. Cupid once again gained popularity during the Renaissance era and was often portrayed as a winged infant sporting a bow and arrow.
When Valentine’s Day card makers were looking for ideas to decorate their papers during the Victorian era, Renaissance Cupids were chosen. Alongside hearts and flowers, Cupid became an iconic symbol of love.
Roses
Victorians sent floral bouquets to deliver a message to love interests, and a flower language was adopted during this time. Books like "The Language of Flowers" by Kate Greenaway and "Flora's Dictionary" by Elizabeth Wirt popularized the gifting of flowers.
Different flowers symbolize different meanings, with roses being associated with romance. Red roses signify passion and desire while pink roses signify admiration and gratitude. Yellow roses symbolize friendship and white roses imply innocence. There is also a language for how many roses are received. A single rose symbolizes love at first sight, while a dozen translates to, “be mine.”
Tulips, lilies, orchids, hydrangeas, gardenias, sunflowers, daisies, carnations, and peonies have also been delivered to friends, loved ones, or romantic interests during Valentine’s Day. Each bouquet has its own meaning, and is a compelling way to express emotions to loved ones.
Chocolates
The now-iconic heart-shaped box of chocolates line the shelves of stores leading up to February 14th, usually red and filled with an assortment of individual bites. Centuries before chocolate became a traditional Valentine’s Day gift, it was an elite drink adopted by the Spanish. It soon made its way to Europe but fell out of popularity quickly before British chocolate company Cadbury used a newly discovered method to separate cocoa butter from chocolate to produce a solid, edible version. This invention came right as Valentine’s Day was gaining popularity in Victorian society and Cadbury decided to target lovers for their invention. A few years later, the box was updated to a heart shape. Their marketing efforts not only advertised their chocolates but encouraged customers to store their Valentine’s Day cards and mementos in the box after it was emptied.
Love’s Tokens Made Modern
As Valentine’s Day was brought into the 20th century, companies selling these products brought the holiday to be the commercialized version we see today. Gone are the intricately designed handmade cards, which have been replaced with mass-produced versions. The symbols, however, remain the same.
Colors of red, pink, and white complete heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, roses, and greeting cards. The heart symbol and drawings of Cupid are frequently seen on decorations and gifts. Traditions popularized by the Victorian era are not only an affectionate way to declare your love on February 14th, but also a way to preserve love’s tokens.