Early Valentine's Day Customs & Beliefs During the Middle Ages, people believed that birds found their mates on February 14th. The custom of exchange Valentine greetings goes back to the 1400's.
Many historians believe the custom of sending poetic verse on this day originated with a Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans. From his prison cell in the Tower of London, he sent his wife rhyming love letters. One of them was this one:
"Wilt thou be mine? Dear love, reply,
Sweetly consent, or else deny;
Whisper softly, none shall know,
Wilt thou be mine, love? Ay or no?" During the Middle Ages, people celebrated Valentine's Day with feasting, games, and dancing. Also during the Middle Ages, Valentine's Day became a children's holiday. English children left valentines on their friends' doorstep, or went from door to door in groups singing songs. The women of the house would give them flowers, pennies, or sweet buns with plum filling. They sang songs like this one:
"Good morning to you, Valentine,
Curl your locks as I do mine-
Two before and three behind.
Good morning to you, Valentine." In Italy, young people met in flower gardens to listen to music and poetry. In France, people had Valentine's Day Balls. In France, young men gave their dance partners flower bouquets. Many Valentine's Day customs involved ways that single women could learn who their future husbands would be:
According to English tradition the first man a woman sees on Valentine's Day is the man she will marry. In the 17th century a young girl would eat a hard-boiled egg and pin five bay leaves to her pillow, one leaf in the center, and one on each corner, before going to sleep on Valentine's eve. She believed this would make her dream of her future husband.
In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!" People used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They'd wear these names on their sleeves for one week -- and so the term "to wear your heart on your sleeve." Fun Modern Valentine's Day Beliefs & Superstitions On Valentine's Day, the first man's name you read in the
paper or hear on the TV or radio will be the name of the man
you will marry. If you see a squirrel on Valentine's Day, you will marry a
cheapskate who will hoard all your money. If you see a goldfinch on Valentine's Day, you will marry a
millionaire.
If you see a flock of doves on Valentine's Day, you will have
a happy, peaceful marriage.
If you find a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your
future beloved will have the other missing glove. If you see a robin on Valentine's Day, you will marry a crime
fighter.
If you see a bat today, you will marry a baseball player.
If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will know how many children you will have. Say the names of 5 or 6 people you might like to marry, and twist the stem of an apple until it falls off. You will marry the person whose name was being said when the stem fell off. If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will know how many children you will have.
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