CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Feb. 14 is Valentine's Day, the day we celebrate romance and love. But if you think giving a gift is a new trend, think again.
So why do we give cards on Valentine's Day and how did the time-honored tradition get its start? Let's connect the dots.
Hallmark estimates about 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year. And while Hallmark has become the go-to name for special gifts, they aren't the ones who started the fad.
The American Folk Art Museum says fertility-related customs and rituals have been celebrated in mid-February since pagan times. In the 1600s, the practice was to give pairs of gloves.
Cards didn't come around until the 18th century. By the 1700s, we started to see the beginnings of modern Valentine's cards.
A century later, Valentine's Day cards got even more popular with popular ladies' magazines publishing instructions on how to craft them.
Hallmark really got the ball rolling for Valentine's Day in the early 1900s. The company started selling Valentine's Day cards in 1913.
The holiday continues to evolve to this day with less focus on romantic love. Now, cards are more about letting someone know they matter, with people giving them to friends, family and colleagues as a gesture of kindness.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.