Using what she knew of the family's stationery business, and her own
considerable artistic ability, she went to work with paste, paper,
and paint and created an array of sample valentines. One of her
brothers was skilled in penmanship, and she persuaded him to inscribe
sentiments in the cards. Another brother was a salesman for the
family buisness, and he agreed to try to get some orders for next
season's trade.
When her brother returned with an astonishing $5,000 in orders,
Howland promptly set up shop in her parents' house. She hired four
friends to help her and adoped a revolutionary assembly-line approach.
Seated at a long table, one worker cut out small colored lithographs
of sentimental subjects, the next laid them on brilliantly glazed
paper backgrounds, a third assembled the layers of lace paper that
framed the central design, and the fourth pasted down a printed
sentimental, typically inside the card or under a flap where only
the recipient could see it.
At a time when Americans who wanted to send someone a love token had
to make one by hand or buy one of the few rather witless and plain
commercial offerings available, Howland's sentimental creations were
a tremendous innovation. Despite their high cost, many of the cards
sold for $5 to $10 each, and some truly extravagant ones, bedecked
with ribbons, satin, and silk, cost up to $30, the business boomed.
Howland sold her business to a former employee in 1880 and retired to
take care of her aging father. Although she herself never married,
she gave wings to the romantic fancies of countless other Americans.
Discovering America's Past
The man responsible for Valentine's Day,
had nothing to do with romance. He was a Roman and
his name was Valentine and was beheaded for
refusing to give up his Christianity.
While in jail, he became friends with the jailer's
daughter and sent her a little note, right before
his execution, saying, "From your Valentine."
This particular day, had been dedicated as a
day of friendship.
He died on A.D. 270, Feb. 14th. It is said that on
the day that he was buried, birds began to pair.
Valentine's Day is the day for love and romance.
For children, it is a day for exchanging Valentine
Days cards and candies, as an expression of friendship.
Adults express their love for one another by
giving each other huge heart
shaped red boxes wrapped in beautiful satin bows,
which are fill with chocolate candy.
Flowers, perfumes, cards, kisses, are a few
of the things used in saying, "I love you."
Oddly enough, with all this romance going on in
the air, on this particular day, there are not
many proposals of marriage.
