Love in the digital age is boring. Before the ebb of modern technology, people used to show each other their love with romantic and dramatic gestures. This year, bring back extravagant expressions of love, not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day. Every day should be Valentine’s Day if you really care.
Long gone are the days of true romantic gestures. If your significant other hands you some generic heart-shaped candy box from Walmart with an ugly Hallmark card that has Cupid on the cover, just know your partner secretly hates you. The effort is not in the same room as the ugly box of bad chocolate.
The more period piece-esque your gesture is, the better! This Valentine’s Day, try some of these vintage Victorian traditions to declare your undying love.
Write a letter – wax seal her
Instead of texting them some lame paragraph about how much you care about them, grab a pen and paper and write a love letter. Fifty years from now, if the planet lasts that long, when you show your grandkids the history of your love, all you’re gonna have is screenshots of someone sliding into your Direct Messages (DMs). With a love letter, the feelings you have for a person are tangible — maybe even try writing a love poem. Whatever you do, the effort is telling with this one and your lover will appreciate the gesture regardless of how bad you are with words.
Vinegar Valentine letter
If love letters are not your cup of tea, try a hate one. Valentine’s Day was not only a day of celebrating love; the Victorians used this day to express all emotions, even deep-seated loathing. If you are feeling like a hater this year, try a vinegar valentine. These hate letters are an easy way to get rid of unwanted romantic attention from that one dude who won’t take no for an answer. So write some hate mail outlining all the things you despise about that special someone.
Puzzle Purse
A puzzle purse is an origami-esc folded paper craft. As the recipient unfolds each corner of the puzzle purse, a sweet poem, drawing, or reason the person who sent it loves you is unveiled. So fold up a piece of paper, number the corners, and this year tell the story of why you love them in origami.
Learn the language of flowers
Everything for Victorians was dramatic; it was a rather popular Valentine’s Day tradition to send a coded message to your lover in a bouquet of flowers. To learn more about the language of flowers, turn to page 14 and read “Roses are red, violets are blue; here is what flowers say about you” by Brenda Jovel.
Pin your lover’s name to your shirt — literally wear your heart on your sleeve
During the Roman festival of Lupercalia, a Valentine’s Day festival celebrated in mid-February, women would literally pin the name of their lovers to their sleeves. This tradition has evolved over the years; however, the concept remains the same — literally, wear your love on your sleeve. Show the world you are taken and pin the name of your Valentine to your clothes this year to prove your devotion.
Singular glove to represent your love
Again with the drama! In old-timey days Victorian men would send a singular glove to their lovers and if, on Easter, the lover was found wearing the glove it meant they reciprocated the love. Send your lover one glove and if they wear it, they want you to!
This year try harder! Valentine’s Day is a day of showing the person you love that you truly care, so make sure to put in a little bit of effort so they don’t leave you at the altar in 10 years. Happy loving campers! If you’re single … stay safe out in these streets this Wednesday; the love will make you want to gouge your eyes out.
