OCR Text |
Show B Page IB North Edition Lakeside Review Wednesday, February 13, 1985 Staff Photo by Rodney Wright VALENTINES DAY can be a favorite day for children like Courtney Wixom, daughter of Gregg and Becky Wixom of Syracuse, but a real headache for parents . Valentines Day Now Bit Less Than Romantic JUDY JENSEN Christian fathers began to wipe out pagan rites, the anniversaries of the deaths of many martyred saints were used to replace the old festivals. The death of St. Valentine, on the eve of Lupercalia, Feb. 14, was then substi- Review Correspondent When Feb. 15 arrives and Valentines Day is over, you'll busily clean up the last remnants of the mess in the kitchen. cookie cutters and the d cookies that weren't suitable for the PTA will be strewn over the table. Most of the d candy will be inside the children who have been sent bouncing back to school. Half torn envelopes from Ziggy and Donald Duck valentines have adorned the counter tops for days and you'll notice the lop layer of the box of chocolates you received from your Valentine, has dwindled to one piece. As you painstakingly wipe the last of the pink frosting off the wall, it may seem that Valentines Day has lost some of its romance. There was a time when sending a valentine was a serious matter, and Valentine Day marked the beginning of a full year of courtship. Most people have no idea that the Saints Day they celebrate is connected with ancient pagan customs. The most popular belief surrounding Valentines day is that of Saint Valentine, a Roman Priest performing secret marriages for young lovers after the Emperor Claudius had forbidden them. ' Saint Valentine was found out and thrown into prison. He was executed on Heart-shape- d tuted as a reason to perpetuate forever the memory of the festival of the return of spring when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and when the birds begin mating. Over the years the custom of choosing a Valentine has changed dramatically. Today every school child hands out dozens of Valentines. During the 1400s, choosing a Valentine, was the same as choosing a spouse, and each person had only one Valentine." In France, it was the custom that the first young man to be seen by a girl on Valentines Day became her Valentine,, or her boyfriend for the year and usually the friendship ended in marriage. Of course this custom could be manipulated, one young woman wrote, Last Friday was Valentines day, Mr. Blossom was my man. I lay abed and shut my eyes all the morning, till he came to our house; for I would not have seen another man before him for all the world. Another old Valentine custom that has not survived, is that of drawing Valentines by lot. The names of young women were put into a box and drawn for by the young men, guided purely by luck. The person having been drawn remained as Valentine for the whole year. d The charm of the custom dwindled as many would find themselves embarrassingly paired. Many of these draws were to ensure the drawn Valentine was the right one. One curious custom formerly observed is that of dividing the eligible young people into two groups, each going into houses which faced one another on a narrow street. Names of boy and girl Valentines were called across the street and in this way would be paired. heart-shape- sugar-f- illed sugar-fille- heart-shape- d Feb. 14, 270. However, in his book The Valentine And Its Origins, the author, Frank Staff, writes, Valentine, known to be a very chaste man was never in his life concerned with cupids and hearts, the mating of birds, or with lovers. Staff explained at the time of Valentines death a spring festival was also celebrated by the Romans. This festival, the festival of Lupercalia, involved certain fertility rites and coincidentally was held on Feb. 15. Staff explained that when the early age-ol- Afterward, the couples, if they were satisfied with each other, would finish the evening at a public dance. But if a young man did not care for the Valentine chosen for him he would desert her. The poor girl would then stay alone for eight days, until Sunday, when large bonfires would be burned in the middle of the village, and effigies of those who had spurned their chosen Valentines would be burned, while abusive things would be shouted out about them. Those of you who aren't real happy about your valentine remembrance may want to check into the feasibility of this for next Sunday, but be sure to get your fire permit. Many of the valentine traditions have continued through the ages, most notably that of hand delivering valentine cards. Children still delight in placing cards on unsuspecting friends doorsteps, ringing the doorbell and running to hide. This practice came about originally out of necessity.. The high cost of postage meant the charge for sending a valentine through the mail could represent a weeks wages or more for a country lad. Most then would leave their valentines at their sweetheart's door. On Jan. 10, 1840, an event took place which completely changed the letterwriting habits of everyone for all time, the introduction of the uniform Penny Post. For the price of one penny a letter weighing half an ounce could be sent anywhere within the United Kingdom. Now everyone could afford to send valentines. And, where the Post Office is concerned, the 4th of February became one of the busiest days of the year. One early postmaster recorded On Valentines Day we have had an addition of 50,000 or 60,000 letters--- I shall have to submit hereafter that the usual very moderate sum be allowed to the Letter Carriers for refreshments, etc. to get 1 through the extraordinary exertions of the day. This event created a revolutionary change in the exchange of valentines. The valentine written on paper began to replace the valentine as a person. The 14th of February became a day anticipated by many a maid, young and old, for this was the day when a lover could prove his affection by sending a valentine. For the timid male who didn't have the ability to compose his own verse, there were little books published called Valentine Writers" to help him. These books catered to every taste from the heavy sentimental down to the comic. One such example follows: Valentine to a Widow. A widower to a widow sues, and hopes his suit she'll not refuse. You have a child and so have I. they may cement affection 's tie. Our fortunes I believe are equal, let 's join to make a pleasing sequel. At least such is my fond design, il you'll consent dear Valentine. If the widow wanted to refuse, the following was suggested: Resolved no more to be a wife but e'en to lead a widows life; I must the amorous suit decline, which you have made, my valentine. 1 pray you do not take offense, I own you have both worth and sense; Had second wedlock been my plan, tis you alone would be the man. If the widow wanted to give a favorable reply, the following alternate answer was suggested: Good sir, I like the plan you sent and thank you for the compliment; In harmony we will combine to cherish both your child and mine. If others should our marriage bless, il may increase our happiness; I shall expect you sir at jour, that we may talk this matter O'er, And on our wedding day agree, as ire regale on toast and tea. These little Valentine Writers would be valuable today. How many hours have you spent in front of a Hallmark display looking for just the right card? Wouldn't it be easier to just thumb through a catalog of clever verses and pen your own valentine? Like the exchange of valentine cards, the exchange of valentine gifts has been done through the ages. Some of the earliest records of this practice show that a pair of gloves was a popular valentine gift. There seems to be no significance for this but it was referred to in many valentine verses like the following: If that from Glove you take the tetter G. then Glove is Love and that I send to thee. Another reads: Love to thee I send these gloves. If you love me. Leave out the G. and make a Loves. pair of In an advertisement written in Poor Robins Almanach published in 1684 the following appeared: And on the fourteenth day the Millcners will have a great sale for gloves and ribbons. d Today you can put on your jewelery, drink from your heart covered mug while eating your chocolate heart candy and wearing your heart covered underwear. The variety of suggested valentine gifts seems to increase every year. heart-shape- A recent television ad assured viewers the perfect valentine gift would be a new shower curtain. When Valentines Day is over, you can take the paper hearts off the windows, pop that last piece of candy into your mouth, put all of the romantic reminders away and, if you were one of the lucky ones, hurry into the bathroom and hang that new shower curtain. Given Choice, Most Name Spouse on Valentines Day APRIL ADAMS ' Heview stall If you could have your choice of anyone for a valentine on St. Valentine's Day, whom would choose. And why would you choose that particular person? People at Layton .Hills Mall were asked this question Friday, interviews. The an- in svvcrs varied from serious to hu- morous. ot like the way he dances in the courtroom in his new musio vid- to. she said, laughing, Pamela Osborne of Clearfield said she would choose popular singer Billy Joel as her valentine Kristen Clark of Rov said. u though her fiance might get gry, she would choose television siar Tom Selleck because of his lor the day. body. "I would choose him because an-yo- I I would choose him just as a fantasy. she added, quickly. Bountiful resident Carl Irieke said he chose his valentine 30 years ago. It would be my wife. Barbara, because she is such a lovely per- son." Jeri Woodruff said she would choose her husband, Scott. "He's my valentine because he helps me around the house so and with our five ch dren. the North Ogden resident il- said. Lavton Hills Mall employee and Clinton resident Greg Disney said he would choose his wife. Karen. I would pick her because of her ability to put up with me, he said jokingly, Joan Dallof of Layton also oed the popular Valentine's pay sweetheart choice, Of course would choose my husband if I had my choice of any valentine, He's been my valentine for 15 ech-mu- 1 years. else. I wouldn't have anyone |