Happy Valentine's Day Lovas

We are on a roll offering some super fun FREEBIES for you fab people!  Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it's always fun to celebrate LOVE--whether it be your besties, your hubby, or anyone that could use a lil' love. 

Download our FREE 5.5x4.25 cards from the link below!

So while we've got you we'll offer you some useless info about the history of this holiday--in layman's terms of course.  The history of this romantic holiday is actually far from romantic--it's...odd to say the least.  From February 13-15 those wild and crazy Ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia.  Men sacrificed a goat and a dog and then, well, hit on women (literally) with the hides of the animals they had just slain.  Ya'll ready for this: WOMEN ACTUALLY STOOD IN LINE FOR THE MEN TO HIT THEM because women believed it would make them fertile.  Next, young men drew women's names out of jar to be coupled up with for the festival.  Or longer if they hit it off.  The entire festival was Lalapalooza on fire-- these romantics stayed drunk and naked.

One year, Emperor Claudius II executed two men who were both named Valentine on Feb. 14 in the 3rd century A.D.  They were later honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day. 

To make this even more confusing--in the 5th century A.D. Pope Gelasius muddled things by combining St. Valentine's Day and Lupercalia (aka Lalapalooza) but a more theatrical version with clothes ON this time. 

As the years went on Shakespeare and Chaucer romanticized this festival in their work and it gained popularity throughout Europe.  The tradition eventually made its way to the New World and handmade, paper cards were given to celebrate this day.  Fast forward to the 19th century, Hallmark cards of Kansas City, MO got a hold of the idea and began mass producing these Valentine cards.  Game. Over.

Valentine's Day today is almost a $20 billion holiday.  Although we don't beat women and prefer acupuncture to whippings to help with fertility, we still today celebrate this lovely holiday.  Ain't love grand? 

To lighten the situation -- Download your ADORB cards HERE!