Vintage vals

I was thinking the other day about what Valentine's Day is like for kids and what a big deal it must seem. How you spend an hour at school decorating your Valentine's box, and you buy valentines for everyone in your class. I don't remember if we were allowed to put candies in certain ones for our friends, but I do remember that those were the best ones--those little 3-D envelopes you just knew had a red heart sucker or a couple of conversation hearts in it. Sometimes the rich kids would stuff them with a chocolate heart.

Looking at those little "50 pack for kids" valentines at Target the other day, I was struck by how commercial they all are. I'm sure they were like that when I was a kid, but as an adult it makes me sad--like, to tell someone you like them, you have to support Disney or the Hannah Montana Corporation or Justin Beiber, Inc? (are those the same?)

I've always been drawn to Vintage Whatevers, but in light of the above, I find the vintage valentine's lack of commercialism-media grossness so refreshing. I mean, I'm sure they had their status-symbol associations, but in general they just seem so much more earnest to me. Like, they're not about showing off what cartoon or hip pop star you like. They're about love, friendship, and kindness.

There are so many great vintage vals out there.* Here are some of my faves:

Valentines that would get your kid expelled from school today

A! naked! baby! Naked! Now that's a buttload of trouble.

That's wholesome. 

Kitten valentines (duh)

This combines both categories--cuteness and expulsion! 

Seriously. I would not kit about true love.  

Valentines with food puns

I have kind of a gutter mind, so this one makes me giggle.  I mean, his spoon's totally in her tea.

I would love to get pickled with you, my darling onionhead! 

Three puns in this one! THREE!

I would totally send you this one,
since turnips are the only vegetables I can grow. 

Victorian amazingness

As much as I love the puns, these simple images are nice too.

Here's a really cool reception/ At least you'll say there's no deception/
It says as plain as it can say/ Old fellow you'd best stay away
Trans: You are not good enough for a classy girl like me. For starters, get new pants. 

Finally, if you have five minutes, you should go here and watch some victorian cards in action. The little surprises may be the adult equivalent of finding a conversation heart in your Miley Cyrus© card. 

*Of course, I am not one of those folks who think that everything that's vintage is awesome. There are some amazingly racist vintage valentines that, rightly so, would also fall under the first category (except, sadly, maybe not in Alabama). There's also a baby cow valentine that reads, "I'd veal so happy if you'd be my valentine." Both of those make me want to cry my eyes out. That's why I didn't post them. I want to think about happy things instead, like the possibility of the roofers finally being done on the house, and eating sushi tonight with my honey. HVD!