In the late 1800s, Valentine’s Day was not merely a day for giving gifts to your sweetheart. There was also a tradition of sending ugly comic Valentines to those you disliked. Valentine’s Day was also an occasion for masked balls, which gave way to Valentine parties in the 1920s and ’30s, in which games were played. In the 1940s, Valentine’s Day began to be seen as more juvenile, and children’s parties were more common, including in schools.

Bremen Enquirer - 14 Feb 1890
Bremen Enquirer – 14 Feb 1890

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