Happy Lupercalia, Tomorrow! Today? Happy Valentine's, From Ladie's Tea!

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
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Happy Lupercalia is tomorrow, so sorry! Not to drag a thread down with too much History but once again those dratted Pagans were responsible. February 15th was a fertility celebration ( wasn't everything? ) jumped on by a Pope ( weren't all of them? ) and changed to a Christian celebration named for a Saint ( of course ). It seems to be unclear which St. Valentine he intended to honor, too. Still, I'm pretty grateful to this Pope. Lupercalia sounds like an unspecified skin disease or worse, not anything connected with romance, cupids, chocolate tipped strawberries or baby's breath clotted roses.
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A soldier's Valentine!

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Swans? Perfect!

As is typical, we seem to have become a little weary of trying to sort the whole thing out. For once, it's a little ok card companies jumped into the act. For a few centuries Valentine's Day, the result of a past Pope's attempt to crush Paganism in a Christian world, has been a pink, white and red break in winter for all of us. A laced-edged, rose scented, romantic, nice break, whether or not one has a Valentine.
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If ever a day were tailored to embrace all-things-Victoriana, it would be Valentine's Day. Our era did it beautifully.
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Louis Prang ' did ' exotic ( his frog themes for Christmas make your head spin ) cards for all occasions.

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1848, a sailor's carved wish to his Valentine.

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From ' Godey's ', a romance filled bit of one of their sagas

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A Valentine Poem, from Godey's, 1863

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The era Valentines are just amazing. I'd frame each one.

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AND.... Harper's!! I think this is 1862- it could be 1863.

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That was kind, thank you! It's all out there, I'm just nosy enough to go get it, that's all.

So we could turn Valentine's Day and Lupercalia into what the Brits do with Christmas and Boxing Day! Right? Today is the 15th- and Lupercalia! Steal an extra holiday and who can't use one in February?

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From our ' PA Civil War ' site

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U of SH, and on of my favorites!

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Godey's, of course

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A wonderful, perfectly hokey but do not change a thing, Recipe For Love- Pinterest
 
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