Romance Customs

2 February

3 February, not tied to the day

13 February

14 February

Folklore from the old calendars

Catching valentines before sunrise No longer kept NorfolkIn Norfolk children tried to catch one another for valentines on St Valentine's morning, and took special care to catch any elderly people in the family who were likely to be generous.
Drawing Valentines No longer kept England, ScotlandThe old ceremony of St Valentine's Day was a lottery.
Drawing valentines at Fordyce No longer kept BanffshireThe young people of Fordyce drew valentines in February and read their future married lives from them.
Good Morrow, Valentine No longer kept HertfordshireIn many parts of Hertfordshire the poorer children gathered on Valentine's morning and went together to the house of the chief person of the place, who threw wreaths and true lovers' knots to them from a window.
Good Morrow, Valentine at Weston Favell No longer kept NorthamptonshireReviewing John Cole's little history of Weston Favell, near Northampton, in 1827, Hone noted the village's round of customs.
Owling on Valentine’s morning No longer kept West CountryBefore daylight on St Valentine's Day three single young men went out with a clap-net to catch an old owl and two sparrows in a neighbouring barn.
Paying the valentine in Hereford No longer kept HerefordshireMrs Joyce Jefferies of Hereford took care each Valentine's Day to give money to the first man of her acquaintance she met, who counted as her valentine.
Pope Valentine’s lottery of patrons Lore and belief EnglandDrawing valentines was said to have begun as a lottery among poor clergy for patrons for the coming year.
Rings, gloves and ribbons for valentines No longer kept EnglandValentines greeted each other with presents of rings, gloves and ribbons, and sealed the match with kisses.
Sweeping the girls No longer kept DerbyshireIn Derbyshire a girl who had not been kissed by Valentine's morning was said to be dusty, and had to be swept with a broom.
The first two single people to meet on Valentine’s morning Lore and belief EnglandOn the eve of St Valentine's Day, ordinary people believed that the first two unmarried people to meet on the morning of the feast might well become a pair.
The Valentine Letter-shower Still kept EnglandBy the 1860s the drawing of valentines had given way to sending anonymous letters.
Valentine pence in Oxfordshire No longer kept OxfordshireIn Oxfordshire the children went about on Valentine's Day collecting pence and singing a short rhyme asking each householder for a valentine.
Valentines on hat and sleeve No longer kept EnglandPaired valentines wore each other's names or favours, he on her hat and she on her sleeve.
When the Birds Choose Their Mates Lore and belief EnglandAmong the common people it was believed that St Valentine's Day was the day on which the birds chose their mates, and that something of the same influence lay on young men and women, so that a partner chosen by lot or chance that day was in some degree binding.

15 February, not tied to the day

Shrove Tuesday

Folklore from the old calendars

Crowdy and the ring in the Manx pancakes No longer kept Isle of ManOn the Isle of Man, crowdy was eaten for dinner on Shrove Tuesday instead of for breakfast, and supper was meat with a large pudding and pancakes.
Sauty Bannocks and Dreaming Bannocks No longer kept HighlandsIn the Highlands the Fastern's E'en supper ended with sauty bannocks, made of eggs and meal with plenty of salt and toasted on the gridiron.
Shrove Tuesday weddings at Kilrush No longer kept MunsterIn Kilrush Shrove Tuesday was the busiest wedding day of the year, and the Catholic priests were marrying couples from sunrise until midnight.
The Ring in the Crowdie No longer kept ScotlandEden wrote that crowdie was the never-failing dinner of all ranks in Scotland on Shrove Tuesday, as pancakes were in England.

2 February

3 February, not tied to the day

13 February

14 February

15 February, not tied to the day

Shrove Tuesday

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