1. Valentine's Day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century.
2. The first Valentine's Day was in 496 AD, and it was the church that named 14 February as Valentine’s day.
3. The oldest account of a Valentines Day poem is one that was written in 1415 by Charles, the Duke of Orleans after he had written a poem to his wife when he was imprisoned. He referred to his wife as his valentine – for which now is a term synonymous with the occasion.
4. Millions of greeting cards are exchanged every year – over 30 million in the UK alone, making it the second largest occasion for cards behind Christmas
5. According to retail firms, over £1 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day worldwide!
6. London is the most romantic UK City according to retail figures with the average person spending £40 on the occasion.
7. In 2022, the top, most searched for valentines / romantic movie was The Tamarind Seed! Followed by Educating Rita and the Notting Hill.
Celebrated annually on the 14th February, Valentines Day is celebrated by couples the world over. And the significance is one that has completely changed since the occasion first emerged many centuries ago. The day gets is name from an infamous saint in the 3rd century who took it upon himself to truly underpin the meaning of the day, thus leaving his legacy by being named after the day itself.
Around the time of the 3rd century, an Emperor by the name of Claudius put a ban on marriage because in his mind he thought that married men made the worst type of soldier. Valentine then stepped in and started to conduct marriage ceremonies in secret. The secret was eventually exposed, and Valentine was sent to jail and then eventually sentenced to death. Whilst in jail, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. He was eventually killed on the 14th February; but on this day he also sent a love letter to the jailer’s daughter which was signed “with love, from your valentine” … Thus, creating his legacy for an occasion which is second only to Christmas.
Fast forward to the modern day, and Valentines Day has a much wider significance, and it’s estimated that the net spend on this day is in the billions across the world! And so, it’s no surprise that it’s the second most popular occasion to celebrate on the calendar – behind Christmas.
Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the Roman Times, but the first Valentine's cards were sent in the 18th century, and it was the Victorians who turned this annual event in to the romantic occasion it is today.
Initially Valentines cards were handmade, as pre-made cards were not available. People would exchange elaborately made cards decorated with lace, romantic symbols, cupids, flowers, love knots and lines of poetry.
Great question! So much of what we are encouraged to buy for Valentine's Day gifts is designed to last only a few days. Flowers and chocolates for Valentine's Day, may be considered traditional, but gifts like these can be wasteful and only last a short time.
Did you know a dozen red roses costs on average £60? Add a box of chocolates to that and you are close to £70. There are many gifts you can consider for Valentine's Day instead of flowers. Gifts that will last for many years.
The best gifts are those which last, are ethical, sustainable, and thoughtful to the planet. The time of giving gifts which have a short shelf-life is in the past, instead being replaced with the ethos of buy well, buy less.
Choosing a handmade gift for her from our collection will give her joy on the day, and many days of joy well after the occasion has passed.
If you are seeking a long lasting, special vegan gift for her, then you have arrived at the right page. Our collection of handmade vegan accessories is filled with unique vegan presents for her that she will love and cherish for years to come.
The ultimate present if one that aligns with someone's values, but is also beautifully made and functional for every day.
Our range of handcrafted
women's purses are made with a high quality corn-based alternative to leather, are 100% cruelty free and arrive wrapped in a plastic-free Watson & Wolfe gift box.
If you are looking to spend a little more, then our best-selling
handbags and tote bags make the perfect vegan gift for her. Each bag is handmade with innovative materials which are tactile, durable, and easy to clean.
It can be tough thinking of the ideal gift for Valentine’s Day, but with our decades of experience in luxury leather goods, we can make that process a little simpler. Personalised valentines gifts for him include the timeless gift of a personalised
wallet or
card holder, these items really are among the best gifts you can give for Valentine’s Day, not only to mark the occasion, but for practicality too.
When you buy a personalised valentines gifts for her, like the handcrafted
Portman Purse you will truly capture the essence of the day whilst giving a truly thoughtful and long-lasting gift.
Many of our card holders, wallets and gifts can be personalised with your chosen initials and the embossed lettering added to the front, bottom right-hand corner.
The service takes between 3-5 days to fully complete, but if you are ordering late, and require the item much faster and in time for Valentine’s Day, then please do contact us.
Click here to see all the items which can be personalised.
