The Rude, Cruel, and Insulting ‘Vinegar Valentines’ of the Victorian Era

Valentine’s Day is known as a time for people to send love notes. IN THE 1840S lacy valentines with cursive flourishes and lofty poems were sent by the thousands. But what do you do, if you didn’t love the person who had set their eyes on you? Well, you could send that unlucky person a “vinegar valentine” Back then, they were called “mocking,” “insulting,” or “comic” valentines. These were commercially bought postcards that were less beautiful than their love-filled counterparts, and contained an insulting poem and illustration. They were sent anonymously, so the receiver had to guess who hated him or her; as if this weren’t bruising enough, the recipient ALSO had to pay the postage on delivery. Nothing like getting surprise hate mail from a would-be lover on February 14th.