Yankee Brooke
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2018
- Location
- Philly burbs
Valentines Day. It's no secret it's become quite commercialized, lately. But is that a new thing? Apparently not. I ran across an interesting article recently:
https://www.journalofthecivilwarera...ldier-lovers-a-story-of-civil-war-valentines/
Imagine being a young lady at home, with war going on, your boyfriend is off getting shot at....and you're being bombarded with newspaper ads telling you to go spend $5 on him? That's not a small amount in 1860's money, and depending on who and where you are, may be an unthinkable amount to spend on such a "frivolous" item. And often right mixed in with news of movements of troops, casualty reports, and advertisements for disabled veteran's and widow's pensions...
Such a weird mix of Holiday and business, isn't it? It seems commercialism in Valentine's Day was alive and well in the 19th Century just as today.
https://www.journalofthecivilwarera...ldier-lovers-a-story-of-civil-war-valentines/
Some may be surprised to learn that St. Valentine’s Day, and all its commercialism, was alive and well during the bloodiest war of our nation’s past. Much like today, nineteenth-century advertisers and newspapers relentlessly warned their patrons that the holiday loomed. On February 11, 1864, the Holmes County Farmer newspaper in Ohio read, “We are reminded that Valentine Day is approaching. Tuesday next, the 14th inst., is set aside as the carnival of lovers. It is said the birds choose their mates on that day, and, it being leap year, it is expected all the marriageable girls will select their mates.”
During the war, companies ran a number of Valentine ads that targeted women with loved ones off at battle. “Don’t forget your soldier lovers. Keep their courage up with a rousing Valentine. All prices. Six cents to five dollars each,” advertised Strong’s Valentine Depot in 1862. In 1863, New York City’s American Valentine Company promoted “soldiers’ valentine packets,” “army valentine packets,” and “torch of love packets.” In Washington D.C., Shillington’s likewise advertised packets specifically for soldiers, which “contains two superb sentimental valentines and elegant embossed envelopes; also comic valentines and beautiful valentine cards in fancy envelopes.”
Imagine being a young lady at home, with war going on, your boyfriend is off getting shot at....and you're being bombarded with newspaper ads telling you to go spend $5 on him? That's not a small amount in 1860's money, and depending on who and where you are, may be an unthinkable amount to spend on such a "frivolous" item. And often right mixed in with news of movements of troops, casualty reports, and advertisements for disabled veteran's and widow's pensions...
Such a weird mix of Holiday and business, isn't it? It seems commercialism in Valentine's Day was alive and well in the 19th Century just as today.