It was also the day for haters to hurl abuses and insults to those they didnt love.
Often, these cardsboth valentine and vinegarwere produced by the same companies.
During their long history, some estimate, vinegar valentines made up almost half of all U.S. valentine sales.
But the cards werent restricted to the lower economic classes.
They were exchanged freely among all income groups, between neighbors, enemies, as well as friends too.
Women sent them to undesired suitors, students to mean teachers, and workers to obnoxious bossesall anonymously.
There was a card for pretty much every insult.
Early vinegar valentines were simple pieces of paper that folded on themselves and sealed with a bit of wax.
Even by Victorian standards, vinegar valentines were considered distasteful, vulgar and morally depraving.
Others complained about Valentines day being ruined.
Another committed suicide after receiving an insulting valentine.
The practice of sending vinegar valentines eventually fell out of favor in the 1940s.
By then, the fashion for sending any jot down of valentines was already on the decline.
Sources:Collector’s Weekly/Spitalfields Life/Annebella Pollen
