The Enlightening History of Valentines Jewelry
Approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the United States, according to estimates by the U.S. Greeting Card Association. If you include the exchange of valentines made by school children, that figure becomes one billion, with teachers receiving the most.
Valentine’s greetings go all the way back to the Middle Ages although written ones only began to appear after 1400, with the oldest known Valentine card being on display at the British Museum. The first commercial valentines in the United States were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland, the Mother of the Valentine, who used ribbons, real lace, and ribbons in elaborate ways.
The tradition of exchanging valentines was expanded in the second half of the 20th century to become a popular gift-giving event and began to also include gifts such as chocolates in a red satin box shaped as a heart; red roses, and the promotion by the diamond industry to give jewelry by the 1980s as a special and appreciated gift. Anything in the shape of a heart or with a heart as part of the design is perfect for celebrating this particular holiday. Valentine's Day’s average spending increased from $108 a person in 2010 to $131 in 2013, and that amount continues to go up.
Elegant handmade and meticulously crafted high-quality jewelry is designed, for example, by Stephanie A. White of SWCreations and has been her internet business since 2000. Featuring one-of-a-kind handcrafted unique treasures using limited-edition beads makes her creations totally original and would be desired by beloved recipients throughout the year and especially as a token of love for Valentine’s Day.
For more information on heart jewelry and other one-of-a-kind handmade items, please visit our jewelry catalog or contact us.
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