matgb | Happy Wallenstein's Day (Reply)

The Pub Philospher (who I recommend as an enjoyable read):

Not many people know that Valentine's day is a relatively recent invention. It was thought up at the turn of the last century by a Jewish card manufacturer in New York called Solomon Wallenstein (the W being pronounced as a V as in the German). He found that card sales were very slow between Christmas and Easter. In the nineteenth century, infant mortality rates were much higher in winter and so fewer people had birthdays in January and February. Consequently the sale of greeting cards dropped in the winter months.

Wallenstein's innovative solution to this problem was to create a celebration for lovers in the middle of February. He knew that most celebrations were based on medieval religious holidays so he dug out a long forgotten saint and created a story around him. Having a sense of humour, he chose a saint whose name sounded similar to his own - St.Valentine. With some help from his journalist friends, the re-discovery of this ancient tradition was publicised and marketed. Wallenstein made a fortune from selling his cards across America and a new tradition was born.

Worth reading the rest as well. Meanwhile, back in LJ land,

rho, who I found after she linked to something I wrote, is having a poetry day:

Roses are fluorescent green
I hear people sneering
At my failures in
Genetic engineering

Did I mention I'm a cynical bastard most of the year anyway? What, exactly, were you expecting today?

Oh yeah, the LJ gifts thing? Agree with

rho; if you know me well enough to want to give me a virtual gift, then Amnesty are here and Internation Red Cross/Crescent/Crystalthingy is there. Just tell me, I'll be happy. Or just give me money, I'm skint. But virtual flowers in my U-info? Some like it (I sent some, $1 to cheer a friend up is something I can just afford at current exchange rates), but me? Nope. If someone gets $10 gifts in two weeks, they get 2 months paid time, which usually costs them $5. Nice way to expand the business model Danga/SixApart. I'll pass, thanks. Someone let me know when there's an opt-out live?