Hearts Day 2026

Doing something romantic for Valentine's Day doesn't need to be expensive and doesn't require an expensive night out, heart shaped balloons or candy or flowers.

Romance isn't for a single day and doesn't come with a cost. It can take simple gestures on a daily basis like holding hands, opening doors, coffee in bed (my daily treat) or helping one another in small ways. Showing love is not about dollar value purchase, as romance really is priceless (sorry for the bad pun).

These displays of flowers, balloons & candies were in a local supermarket yesterday

Yet, this year spending for this one-day is expected to be billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. That estimate comes from The National Retail Federation which projected that Americans will spend over $29.1 billion on this single day. This figure will top the 2025 record of $27.5 billion. Individual gift spending is expected to be about $200 beating a 2020 previous high of $196.

The above photos weren't taken at a florist shop, bakery or gift store, but in Shaw's a local supermarket in Nashua, NH, yesterday afternoon. The previous day, we shopped in another local supermarket, Hannaford, and saw a similar scene in the floral department.

As for ourselves, we never, ever go out on Valentine's Day/ We're dining at home on filet mignon, baked potato, asparagus, preceded by shrimp cocktail. Candy treats will be leftovers from the holidays. Flowers will be on the dining room table next week, not for a holiday, but because we enjoy them. Cards will be plentiful, as always, will place of pride on the living room bookcases replacing recent birthday cards.

This week at the Hudson Senior Center (NH) Maxine was greeting everyone in her most colorful attire. If you notice, she's available and looking for a date as well.

Maxine is looking for love on Valentine's Day

Now a look-back at a sweet treat that so many of us can probably remember. 

Display of Sweethearts Cutie Pie candies in a local supermarket priced at 3 for $2

Sweethearts The Original Cutie Pie Conversation Hearts are small, heart-shaped candies produced by Spangler Candy. The cherry-strawberry heart-shaped candies feature messages like Cutie Pie, Be Mine, Marry Me and Kiss Me popular for Valentine’s Day. 

But, did you know that this one started here in New England ?

Sweetheart candies began in 1847 when Boston, MA pharmacist Oliver Chase invented a machine for medicinal lozenges which in turn lead to Necco (New England Confectionery Company) wafers, the first mass-produced American candy. In 1866, his brother, Daniel, designed a machine to print sayings on them using red vegetable dye. Candies were made in various shapes and were also larger with more words. The iconic heart shapes with brief messages started in 1901 and became a Valentine's Day tradition with short sweet wording due to limited space on the candy. Over the years, messages have been updated to include modern slang like Fax Me, Call Me, Text Me and Me & You. 

Necco went out of business in 2018 and family-owned Spangler Candy Company acquired the brand. The company didn't have enough time to produce them for Valentine's Day in 2019, but returned the classic candy to stores by 2020. Candies are made at the company's main facility in Bryan, OH and sold in 0.9 oz boxes often in multi-packs. Other popular Spangler brands include: Dum-Dums, Bit-O-Honey, Necco Wafers, Spangler Candy Canes, Spangler Circus Peanuts and Canada Mints.

And, now you know, the rest of the story.

We wish everyone a sweet and Happy ❤️ celebration and hope that yours is as special as ours will be, but not-as-costly as some others.

It's ♥️ Day

There is only one happiness in life —to love and be loved (George Sand)

The above illustration on a Valentine's card shows two Boyds Bears whose names, Beatrice and Grenville, are very familiar to regular readers of this blog. The card was almost an identical representation of the actual figurine of this fictional couple, shown below. 

These names are just a couple of the ones assigned to the many Boyds Bears figurines and stuffed teddy bears. Since we owned several of the figurines, we borrowed their names when we began our blog. Like Beatrice and Grenville, we are Best Friends. 

Of course, in the years since, we've included our actual names, Dorothy and Patrick, in blog posts. Still, many fellow bloggers refer to us by our selected aliases, which is OK with us.

We're not sure how or where we first came upon this ageless senior couple, but, in the years since, we have amassed a small collection, all of which reside on a LR bookcase. Despite extensive online searches, I could find no information on how these bears were named.

While we don't know how our Boyds Bears counterparts are celebrating today, we're not exchanging gifts, buying chocolates or dining out. 

Instead, what we're doing is going to the Nashua library for an afternoon matinee of the 2022 romantic-comedy film, Ticket to Paradise, the latest film in the library's recent releases program. Tonight, we'll dine at home by candlelight, like we do most nights.

Nothing fancy for sure, but for us, it's the best way for best friends to celebrate—together.

However, you & your special someone are spending today, 

we wish you ♥️

Hearts Day 2020

Today, is Valentine's Day or, as Grenville and I prefer, Hearts ❤️ Day

Hearts Afloat or Hearts on High ?

According to online sources, there have been many men named Valentine connected to the holiday, a number of were martyrs.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, the Roman army relied largely on single men. Claudius had banned marriage as he thought it distracted young soldiers. To save lives, Valentine, bishop of Terni at the time, would marry couples to keep husbands away from war. Unfortunately, the emperor didn't think this was a noble or romantic deed and beheaded the bishop near the outskirts of Rome. After he was sentenced to death, young couples would visit his cell leaving flowers and cards. He's said to have died on February 14.

Another less violent tale states that a man named Valentine, after imprisonment by the Romans, sent a letter to a woman he loved with the signature, From your Valentine. 

The widespread custom of exchanging cards and handwritten letters to lovers and friends began during the 17th century. However, it was in the 1840s that the first Valentine's Day cards sold by Esther A. Howland were mass-produced in the U.S. 

Howland, known as the "Mother of the American Valentine," is credited with commercializing Valentine's Day cards in the U.S. by making cards handcrafted with lace and ribbons. Hallmark Cards produced its first Valentine's card in 1913.

In the U.S., folks will spend billions of dollars to celebrate this date. Valentine's Day is the second biggest holiday for exchanging greeting cards after Christmas. Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards annually, followed by children, mothers, and wives. Hallmark Cards produced its first Valentine's card in 1913. 

According to estimates, this year the average American will spend over $196 on Valentine's Day. According to a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) across the nation, holiday sales are expected to top $27.4 billion. While candy and flowers are the most common gifts for Valentine's Day, per the NRF, jewelry tops them at $4.7 billion spent. The second most popular gift is an evening out at $3.7 billion, followed by flowers, clothing, and then candy. 

We're celebrating with dinner at home 🥰. Our menu will include filet mignon (a treat), fresh veggies, a glass (or two) or red wine and gelato for dessert.

How about you — Any special Hearts Day celebrating planned?

Nothing Says Loving . . .

Not like something from the oven, but like cards, cute(?) stuffed toys, and candy if you believe merchandisers who think this is what people want for their loved one(s) — and maybe some do. Personally speaking, none of this is for Grenville and myself who agree that love should be celebrated every day. 

This post is a couple of weeks late. The photos were taken a couple of weeks ago Most local stores began marketing Valentine's Day paraphernalia several days before New Year's Day was observed. 

A nearby major card retailer had this large display ready on December 27. Here's a name hint from the store's popular tagline: "When you care enough to send the very best." (Did you guess the store name?)

Not to be outdone, several other retail stores also had V-Day cards for sale filling racks once filled with Christmas cards within a few days after that holiday.

A local pharmacy retail store relocated its marked-down Christmas items to showcase these new gift ideas. Teddy bears and ostriches flamingoes (thanks Sandra) seemed an odd combination. The bears are a long-time favorite but who thought of flamingoes?

There were other choices too. Perhaps the love of your life would prefer Charlie Brown or Snoopy as a symbol of your love? And Minnie and Mickey Mouse were also available. These these toys looked charming, but what's the market?

And, if bears and cartoon characters don't do it, there's always puppy dogs. Admittedly, these were not the cutest toys I'd ever seen and since when are puppies pink?

Of course, what would Valentine's Day be without candy in heart-shaped boxes and there was quite a selection available everywhere.

My personal preference would be peanut butter hearts, which we recently enjoyed in the shape of Christmas trees. Soon, these will be replaced with peanut butter Easter eggs.

If folks needed colorful packaging for cards, toys, and candies, those were available too.

I don't know about most of you reading this post, but when I was growing up (eons ago) there was none of this hyped-up merchandise. Valentine cards were exchanged in grade school and also small multi-colored candy hearts with fun messages. 

Sweethearts is their "official" name although they’re also called conversation hearts. These treats have a history dating to 1847 and it  started here in New England. 

Oliver Chase, a Boston pharmacist, wanted to get in the apothecary lozenge business. He learned that they had a manufacturing process that required a mortar and pestle, kneading and rolling dough, then cutting it into discs that became lozenges.

Chase invented a machine for the process and then started a candy factory, leaving the pharmacy business to produce what became Necco wafers, named after the his New England Confectionary Company.

In 1866, his brother, Daniel, joined the business and designed a machine to add words on the candies like: “Married in pink, he will take a drink,” “Married in white, you have chosen right” and “Married in satin, love will not be lasting.” The candies were usually featured at weddings.

The candies became heart-shaped in 1901 and messages were shortened to: “Kiss Me,” “It’s Love,” “True Love” and “Call Me.” Today, they’re always being updated. In the 1990s, Necco’s VP added: “Email me” and “FAX me.”The company annually receives hundreds of message suggestions. (YouTube videos show the production process and color mixing.)

Why are these candies so popular year-to-year?

Some think it's because it allows people to give loving hearts in friendship or as a love message. Many, like myself, recall getting them in grade school. Even those who don’t eat candy now have commented that the candies return them to childhood.

In terms of dollar sales, Valentine's Day is the third biggest holiday/season for the U.S. candy industry. According market researchers, it lags behind Easter and Halloween, which are also 1-day observances.

Grenville and I are planning a getaway after hearts day to celebrate it and my earlier Feb birthday.

How will you be celebrating this year? 

The "Mother" of Valentines

Did you know that . . .

Esther Howland

The "Mother of American Valentines" was a pioneering New England businesswoman who, while she helped many others profess their romantic feelings, was never married. 

Esther Howland (1828–1904) popularized Valentine’s Day greeting cards in America. Valentines had been available in the U.S. for 50 years, but she was the first to commercialize them (cards in this post are "Internet copies" of her creations). But, this was the only online image available of Ms. Howland. She was described as having "an abundance of glossy chestnut hair, vibrant eyes, a high complexion, and exquisite dress." This photograph was taken in 1865 when she was 37. 

After graduating from Mount Holyoke Women's Seminary in 1847 she worked in her father’s business, S.A. Howland & Sons, the largest book and stationery store, in Worcester, MA. A vendor sent her an English valentine which included lace and cut-out flower decorations. It was much more impressive than American cards. Howland was sure that she could make a better card, and knew that the key was fancy paper. She asked her stationer father to import embossed and perforated lacy paper. In 1849, she made 12 sample valentines that her brother added to the inventory on his next sales trip. She hoped to get $200 in orders, and was overwhelmed when he returned with $5,000 in fancy valentine orders.

Determined to meet the demand, Howland recruited a group of all-female friends to work as "assemblers” and set up an assembly line of card makers in a third floor bedroom at her parents’ home (pre-dating Henry Ford’s assembly line by 50 years). She also distributed boxes of supplies with one finished sample as a guide to women who preferred to assemble valentines in their own homes, thus setting up an early cottage industry.

Early cards contained short four-line verses pasted inside similar to earlier English valentines. This set-up would eventually become standard for the valentine market.

In 1870, she incorporated as the New England Valentine Company and continued the home-based business until 1879 when it was moved to a rented building in downtown Worcester MA. Howland cards had an ‘H’ on the back in red ink with the price and letters "N.E.V. Co"  to distinguish them from rivals. 

 

Many of her innovations are still in use, such as the "lift-up" valentine which consists of several paper-lace motifs built upon one another in layers. Howland also introduced the layering of lace, thin-colored paper, 3-dimensional accordion effects, a bouquet in which flowers move to reveal a verse when pulled by a string, and the built-up shadow box that became popular in the latter part of her career.

Anticipating that customers might want to personalize cards they bought, she provided vendors with a 31-page book of different verses that could be inserted in most cards. Customers could choose from 131 verses printed in red, green, blue, and gold ink in three different sizes. The selected verse could be pasted over the original card verse.

Cards were offered for various budgets. A simple card sold for five cents. A card trimmed with ribbons or featuring intricate illustrations was much more, upwards of $50 (equal to the cost of a horse drawn buggy then). Very elaborate cards were highly decorated and had inner envelopes for insertion of a secret love message, lock of hair or even a ring. 

Howland cards were shipped countrywide and the business grossed over $100,000 per year, considerable for the time. She sold the business in 1881 to care for her ailing father.

The popularity of Valentine’s Day cards owes much to Esther Howland who popularized the lace valentine and made it into a major industry. Her creations of fantasy and romance have set a trend for more than 30 years. In 2001, the Greeting Card Association established the Esther Howland Award  given annually to a “greeting card visionary.”

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion cards are sent annually making Feb. 14 the second largest card-sending holiday of the year after Christmas when an estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent. Over 50 percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the holiday. Woman purchase about 85 percent of all valentines. Teachers receive the most valentines, then children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.

My personal opinion is that a Valentine's Day card 💌 should be held to be most appreciated (an e-valentine doesn't do it for me). That's why Grenville and I will be exchanging several many cards today and a couple of sweet treats and watching our first-date film, French Kiss (1995). How about your plans?

Happy ❤️ Hearts Day to Everyone

Happy Hearts Day 2017

Today is Valentine's Day and we hope that wherever and however you spend the day, that's it's a lovely one (pun intended. 

As I was unsure as to whether or not it was strictly a U.S. celebrated day, I checked online and learned that Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. And that it was celebrated in Sweden under the name of "Alla hjärtans dag" but don't know the English translation. Additionally China, Japan Korea Formosa, Turkey and the Philippines observe a similar day to express love. 

"Beatrice" and "Grenville" are represented in the figures in this post and are displayed in our apt. These are also the aliases we used when we first created this blog. Now, we use them interchangeably with our actual names, Dorothy and Patrick.

Beatrice and Grenville are part of Boyds Bears. While I searched online  to learn why these names (and others) are selected, there was no information available. Maybe they are chosen from family or friends surnames or perhaps, more likely, selected at random.

Years ago we bought the Beatrice and Grenville "True Love" shown above. It was our first joint purchase and we had displayed it on our wedding table. Afterward, we came across the other two: "Best Friends Weather Any Storm" and "Best Friends." 

All three pieces were purchased in our native NJ and have "lived" with us in NJ, VA and now NH. They just seem to fit how we regard our love and relationship. each piece has a quote on the bottom.

True Love:  “The great secret of successful marriage is to treat all disasters as incidents and none of the incidents as disasters.” – Harold Nicholson

Best Friends: "There is only one happiness in live, to love and be loved." George Sand

Best Friends Weather Any Storm: "Love comforteth like sunshine after rain." Shakespeare

In case you didn't know (and why would you?) Boyds Bears is named after the Maryland town where the business was started. Company founders Gary M. Lowenthal and his wife, Justina Unger, left merchandising positions in NYC to relocate to Boyds, Maryland in 1979. They opened an antique store out of their partially restored Victorian home, but found the business to be costly and unprofitable and switched to resin figurines and later stuffed toy bears. The first bear was named "Matthew" after their newborn son, later a "Bailey" bear was named for their daughter. The stuffed toy bears, rabbits, moose and others as well as resin figurines (Boyds Bearstones, Folkstones, Wee Folkstones, Nature's Woodland Fairies, Dollstones) were widely popular for years and are still collected by many. However, the collectibles market is not the way to make one's fortune (think Beanie Babies).  Enesco acquired the company in 2008 and in 2014 discontinued the Boyds Bears product line stating in an email to retailers that . . . "a decision has been made to place Boyds into hibernation."

We will continue to enjoy our small B & G collection which also includes this card.

Perfect for Today & Always