As with most celebrations, Valentine's Day has amassed a collection of folklore and traditions over the centuries. Take a look at...
The Lottery of LoveOne aspect of modern Valentine's Day celebrations is the sending of targeted, anonymous (or not so anonymous) messages of admiration. Things were quite different in the past however, when the whole event was thrown in the lap of chance!
European tradition from as early as the 15th century supported a Valentine's lottery. Anyone eligible would write their name on a bit of paper and place it in a pot... after which, each person would draw a name and be paired with that individual for the evening.
Since both men and women would draw, a person could end up being paired with two different people - in these cases the selection of the male took precedence. The pair would be obligated to provide gifts and accompany one another for the holiday (some claimed the pseudo-partnership could extend for a year, but this seems to be uncommon.) Fortunately, there was no obligation for the temporary partnership to be anything other than platonic!
Often produced by the same artists responsible for traditional cards, these were an “acceptable” way to attack or slander another - whether it be an unwanted suitor or just someone the sender did not like. Since the cards were sent anonymously, it was also an opportunity to take a literary swing at someone without reprisal.
Unfortunately, people can get pretty nasty when there are no consequences to their actions. Some of the cards attacked people for stepping outside gender norms (for example, mocking suffragettes) or for having a less-than-desirable physical appearance. Some even told the recipient to kill themselves!
One medieval recipe can be found in The Boke of Secretes of Albertus Magnus of the Vertues of Herbes, Stones and Certaine Beastes, a collection of alchemy and folk magic. The tome recommends heating periwinkle and “wormes of y• earth” then combining the resulting powder with houseleeks. The resulting concoction was to be added to a meal, where it would supposedly induce love between a man and his wife!
Chocolate: An Aphrodisiac?Chocolate first emerged in Meso-America, where the Aztecs considered beverages brewed from cacao seeds the favored drink of the gods. Whilst Europeans had a slightly more prosaic view of the substance, it was still considered a luxury... and both groups made claims that it was an aphrodisiac!
Chocolate does actually contain some chemicals thought to have an aphrodisiac effect, notably phenylethylamine and tryptophan... but the amount of chocolate needed to get a noticeable dose would leave all but the most gastronomically gifted rather sick.
A study on North Italian women found that those who ate chocolate regularly had a higher libido; however, this seems to have been more of a correlation than a causative effect. Comparative youth appears to be behind both the heightened libido and increased consumption of chocolate!
The seven individuals were members (or unlucky associates) of George “Bugs” Moran’s bootleggers and likely fell afoul of Al Capone. Their attackers have never been identified, but two of them were dressed as police. When local residents heard gunfire and saw “crooks” being bundled into a car by uniformed officers, they didn’t realize they were witnessing a getaway. The bodies remained undiscovered for three hours.
When the garage was demolished, the bricks were sold off as mob memorabilia. After all, what could be a better talking piece than a brick complete with bullet holes and bloodstains?
Curiously, many of the buyers claimed that they were having ill fortune after purchasing the items... Canadian George Patey wasn’t deterred though, and bought a large number of the relics. He even converted them into a urinal at his Banjo Palace nightclub, with a target-covered glass screen to protect them. After the club closed down, the bricks finally found a home in the Las Vegas Mob Museum, where some people claim to hear ghostly gunshots.
The site of the garage itself seems to have got in on the mythos. Dog walkers have reported their animals getting upset near the scene, with some suggesting a ghostly link to Highball, a German shepherd that survived the massacre.
- The Lottery of Love
- A Vinegar Valentine
- A Love Potion of Earthworms, Houseleeks and Periwinkles
- Chocolate: An Aphrodisiac?
- The Cursed Bricks of the Valentine’s Day Massacre
 |
| Some people turned to magic potions for love... (Elena Mozhvilo) |
The Lottery of LoveOne aspect of modern Valentine's Day celebrations is the sending of targeted, anonymous (or not so anonymous) messages of admiration. Things were quite different in the past however, when the whole event was thrown in the lap of chance!
European tradition from as early as the 15th century supported a Valentine's lottery. Anyone eligible would write their name on a bit of paper and place it in a pot... after which, each person would draw a name and be paired with that individual for the evening.
Since both men and women would draw, a person could end up being paired with two different people - in these cases the selection of the male took precedence. The pair would be obligated to provide gifts and accompany one another for the holiday (some claimed the pseudo-partnership could extend for a year, but this seems to be uncommon.) Fortunately, there was no obligation for the temporary partnership to be anything other than platonic!
A Vinegar Valentine
Whilst sending cards in an attempt to woo has been a part of Valentine’s Day for a very long time, a more vicious form of card emerged in the 19th century. Rather than the traditional saccharine messaging, these cards were insults which aimed to wound the pride.Often produced by the same artists responsible for traditional cards, these were an “acceptable” way to attack or slander another - whether it be an unwanted suitor or just someone the sender did not like. Since the cards were sent anonymously, it was also an opportunity to take a literary swing at someone without reprisal.
Unfortunately, people can get pretty nasty when there are no consequences to their actions. Some of the cards attacked people for stepping outside gender norms (for example, mocking suffragettes) or for having a less-than-desirable physical appearance. Some even told the recipient to kill themselves!
A Love Potion of Earthworms, Houseleeks and Periwinkles
A favorite magical fantasy for the lovesick is that of the love potion. The idea has been around for a long time - in the past they've been deployed in an attempt to start a relationship... or to strengthen an existing one.One medieval recipe can be found in The Boke of Secretes of Albertus Magnus of the Vertues of Herbes, Stones and Certaine Beastes, a collection of alchemy and folk magic. The tome recommends heating periwinkle and “wormes of y• earth” then combining the resulting powder with houseleeks. The resulting concoction was to be added to a meal, where it would supposedly induce love between a man and his wife!
 |
| Others used chocolate! (Tetiana Bykovets) |
Chocolate does actually contain some chemicals thought to have an aphrodisiac effect, notably phenylethylamine and tryptophan... but the amount of chocolate needed to get a noticeable dose would leave all but the most gastronomically gifted rather sick.
A study on North Italian women found that those who ate chocolate regularly had a higher libido; however, this seems to have been more of a correlation than a causative effect. Comparative youth appears to be behind both the heightened libido and increased consumption of chocolate!
The Cursed Bricks of the Valentine’s Day Massacre
On the 14th of February 1929, seven men were lined up against a wall in a garage at 2122 North Clark Street. They were then riddled with bullets from Chicago typewriters.The seven individuals were members (or unlucky associates) of George “Bugs” Moran’s bootleggers and likely fell afoul of Al Capone. Their attackers have never been identified, but two of them were dressed as police. When local residents heard gunfire and saw “crooks” being bundled into a car by uniformed officers, they didn’t realize they were witnessing a getaway. The bodies remained undiscovered for three hours.
When the garage was demolished, the bricks were sold off as mob memorabilia. After all, what could be a better talking piece than a brick complete with bullet holes and bloodstains?
Curiously, many of the buyers claimed that they were having ill fortune after purchasing the items... Canadian George Patey wasn’t deterred though, and bought a large number of the relics. He even converted them into a urinal at his Banjo Palace nightclub, with a target-covered glass screen to protect them. After the club closed down, the bricks finally found a home in the Las Vegas Mob Museum, where some people claim to hear ghostly gunshots.
The site of the garage itself seems to have got in on the mythos. Dog walkers have reported their animals getting upset near the scene, with some suggesting a ghostly link to Highball, a German shepherd that survived the massacre.
Thanks for reading - perhaps you'd also like...