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11 02, 2019

Valentine cards – the legend and origin

By |2019-02-03T20:41:16-06:00February 11th, 2019|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday, Valentine's Day|0 Comments

As a writer of love stories, February 14th is one of my very favorite holidays. As a history buff, I love the legend and the origin of sending valentine cards. Valentines are the mirror of romance.

The LEGEND

A real priest who lived in 270 A.D., Saint Valentine provided Christians with sacraments outlawed by the Roman Empire such as marriage for soldiers forbidden to marry and baptism.

Around 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius honored Valentinus by declaring February 14th as St. Valentine’s Day. The day now appears in the calendar of saints in the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church.

Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment, giving them to the soldiers and persecuted Christians to “remind them of God’s love and to encourage them to remain faithful Christians.”

That action, whether fable or real, began the custom of giving cards and reminders to loved ones on February 14.

THE ORIGIN

In spite of technology and ecards retail Valentine card sales continue to grow. It’s estimated that about 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are purchased each year.

Artist Esther Howland (1828–1904) was the first to publish and sell Valentine cards in the United States. Before Esther, the cards were hand made with paper, lace, and ribbons and handwritten poetry. The American Antiquarian Society in Worcester holds a large collection of her valentines.

Most Valentines were mass-produced by machine by the end of the 19th century. Creative people like my friend still send handmade cards.

If you read my blog often, you know I collect vintage holiday post cards. Here are my favorite Valentines. While not as elaborate, I love the way these cards speak of romance.

Valentines express our love to others. Will you send valentines to show someone you love them this Valentine’s Day?

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4 02, 2019

It’s February and Love is in the Air

By |2019-02-03T18:17:46-06:00February 4th, 2019|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Hearts are everywhere.

Commercials are pushing chocolates, wine, fancy dinners, lingerie, and Hallmark cards. Florists are offering specials on roses. Love songs flow from the airways.

The commercialization bothers me a bit. The statistics stagger me.

The National Retail Federation anticipates $19.6 billion in Valentine expenditures this year, up from $18.2 billion last year. Those 25-34 will be the biggest spenders at an average of $202.76.This year’s survey broke expenditure averages down this way:

$88.98 on their significant other/spouse ($12.1 billion)

$25.29 on other family members such as children or parents ($3.5 billion)

$7.26 on children’s classmates/teachers ($991 million)

$7.19 on friends ($982 million)

$5.50 on pets ($751 million)

$4.79 on co-workers ($654 million)

Cards, flowers, jewelry, and fine dinners are all very romantic gestures to express love on this special day. If you have the funds and want to be extravagant, who am I to stop you? Go for it!

BUT, I’d like to suggest gifts don’t have to involve great expense. Nothing’s better than a homemade Valentine card or a home cooked meal served by candlelight.

Need ideas: Check the February editions of magazines or Pinterest. Most are loaded with DIY ideas for valentine cards and gifts.

More important, remember, it’s the day-to-day things that really show true love.

  • A hug
  • A back rub after a tiring day
  • An affirming text that arrives at the perfect moment
  • Holding hands

And, if you’re shy about expressing yourself with words or cards , you can always give a sign for I love you from Signing Savvy.

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21 01, 2019

Starting 2019 with Martin Luther King

By |2019-01-19T16:49:50-06:00January 21st, 2019|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday, Monday Motivations|2 Comments

Today we honor Martin Luther King, the symbol for non-violent protest since the sixties Civil Rights Movement. His leadership in a trying time inspired change. He stirred, and still stirs, our conscience with his words.

Here are some of my favorites:

  • “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
  • “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
  • “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
  • “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
  • “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
  • “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Are we forwarding the vision he set forth in these quotes today? Why not make this MLK Day the start of a year in which we purpose to move forward.

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24 12, 2018

Holiday Greetings

By |2018-12-14T11:20:46-06:00December 24th, 2018|Holidays|1 Comment

Happy Christmas Eve!

View from the Front Porch will be on hiatus December 27 through January 7. Before we go we want to share this free image from my friend and fellow blogger, Edie Melson. It’s such a great reminder about the true meaning of Christmas.From Chicken Wrangler Sara and me, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate tomorrow and a safe and blessed New Year’s Eve.

See you in 2019!

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17 12, 2018

Christmas Card Time

By |2023-11-19T10:42:06-06:00December 17th, 2018|Holidays|2 Comments

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is receiving Christmas cards from family and friends. That’s why this Family Circus cartoon in the Sunday funnies caught my eye.

I keep the cards we receive every year, bundle them with ribbon, and store them in baskets. The baskets are then part of our holiday decorations. I’ve done it for years.

I like to take a packet from the baskets, look at the photos, and read the letters. It always sparks memories. Some sad knowing the original writer is no longer with us.

But, mostly the cards trigger good thoughts. It’s almost like having the senders here with me again.

I’m not alone in my love of sending and receiving Christmas cards.

As outdated as the practice may seem to some, others cling to the tradition along with me. Americans purchase approximately 1.6 billion Christmas cards a year!

The tradition began in the 1800s. As printing techniques improved, and costs dropped, Christmas cards increased in popularity. Read a detailed history here.

When sending a postcard dropped to half a penny, more people were able to send greetings. I collect those vintage postcards. Some date by to the 1900s. I love reading through the handwritten notes and looking at the intricate designs.

Today many people send handcrafted individual cards. Those are extra special gifts because of the time spent crafting them.  

 

 

 

What is it about this old-fashioned tradition that appeals to so many?

The Greeting Card Association research suggests: “The tradition of giving greeting cards is a meaningful expression of personal affection for another person… ”

Some question whether that appeal will be compelling enough to survive the conveniences of the digital era. I believe the practice will always be a favorite part of the holiday season.

What do you think?

Photo of The Family Circus cartoon from the Houston Chronicle, December 9, 2018 edition.

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10 12, 2018

Fruitcake Facts, Folly, and An Offer

By |2018-12-09T10:32:12-06:00December 10th, 2018|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday, Writer's Life|1 Comment

Christmas means fruitcake time. It’s the most belittled icon of the season. I’m a fruitcake lover and this is such a sad, sad thing to me.

Johnny Carson began the trend of fruitcake bashing with his comment that there was really only one fruitcake in the world, passed from family to family.

In 1996, Manitou Springs, Colorado started a Fruitcake Toss Day. A group of Boeing engineers, using the “Omega 380” machine they designed (a mock artillery piece fueled by compressed air pumped by an exercise bike) set the all-time toss record of 1,420 feet in January 2007. A total waste of good fruitcake imo.

It’s a shame poor fruitcakes get such a bad rap. Even if you can’t stand the taste, its history is fascinating. Did you know?

  • December is “National Fruitcake Month.”
  • Fruitcakes date back to the Romans who baked fruitcakes with pine nuts, barley mash, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and honeyed wine. When candied fruit was introduced, fruitcake became cheaper and more common.
  • Fruitcakes get better with age. Cooks recommend fruitcakes be stored for at least a month before eating.
  • An alcohol glaze of rum, brandy, or whisky not only enhances the flavor, it also extends the shelf life. Reportedly, a well-stored fruitcake will last 25 years.
  •   Fruitcake has long been a special occasion cake for British royalty.

Queen Victoria served a fruitcake at her wedding to Prince Albert. Prince William and Kate Middleton also choose fruitcake for their wedding, bringing the tradition into the 21st Century. According to this TIME article, slices of royalty wedding fruitcakes are auctioned for large sums.

  • Mademoiselle magazine published Truman Capote’s short story “A Christmas Memory” in December 1956. The story begins with an eccentric woman in her sixties looking out her window one winter morning and announcing, “Oh my, it’s fruitcake weather!” It’s often included in many Christmas story anthologies.You can check it out here

Interesting fact, Capote’s story is autobiographical according to this article.

  • Fruitcakes can tell fortunes and bring good luck.

Single females who sleep with a piece of fruitcake under their pillow after a wedding will dream about their future husband.

Nut growers bake a fruitcake at the end of one growing season then eat at the end of the next season to ensure good luck and a successful harvest.I’m not alone in my fondness for fruitcake.

A bakery mail-order fruitcake began in 1913. My favorite Christmas fruitcake comes from Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas.

If you should receive a fruitcake for Christmas this year, please don’t toss it. Use the contact form here and let me know. I’ll gladly take it off your hands.

Photo Credit: Collins Street Bakery

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