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Happy Valentines Day To All Of You Out There On Steemit

Here, I present to you on this day of romance, chocolate and Love -- Valentine's Day Cards -- from a time way way back. I do not have any human children of my own, and since cats don't give cards to anyone on February the 14th, I am not as well-versed in the ways of this 'Holiday of Romance' thing in the world of today's youth.

I assume the practice of handing out cards or other tokens of affection in school still exists. But since I'm clueless as to the how-to-for's in the world of small-person romance, I would be interested to know what goes on in the modern world during schoolyard-based, artfully-professed Love.

Kiss Her? I Can't Even TALK To Her Without Feeling Ill!

Though clueless to present practice, I DO have deep, wonderful memories of this time from when I was young. Cards of a similar nature were given out on this special day, to whomever you chose to give them to. Fully intended to profess Deep Love and Devotion to someone across the aisle in class, down the hallway by the gym, or somewhere else within the school grounds.

And let's face it, this romance stuff is a WHOLE lot easier on a card, than in person. Particularly if you are less than 10 years old, and have NO clue what you are doing in this giddy, oh-so-scary, new-world of budding romance.

A Large Collection Of Heartfelt Feelings

A friend from work gave me these cards several years ago. She had a box of old Valentines collected from somewhere. I KNOW they weren't from her world of romantic giving and receiving, as many are from around 1935, and she was born way after that date. She wasn't even a sprig of an idea yet when these were formed on a fancy printing press.

However she acquired them, I greatly enjoyed receiving them, if only in a shoe box. Rather than, unfortunately, as originally intended -- sitting at my 3rd grade, flip-top desk, looking up dreamily into Martha Brown's doe-y eyes while she handed me my special card. Sigh...lofty dreams die hard. Even WITH raft-loads of time passing under the bridge of life.

No Martha Love - But Still A Lot Of Fun

I still enjoy looking at this blast from the romantic past, and would like to share them with all of you as well. They are a classic piece of history from some special times of (mostly) youthful romance. From an era long long ago, and probably now long-gone as well. Enjoy.

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Animals were a popular theme. The duck is really a cute little doober. Not sure if the first card with the racehorse came edged like that from the store, or Mom used the pinking sheers on it to add a special touch of 'something'. Hope it worked, if that was Mom's intent.

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I like the clever use of the 2 with the puppy. Sort of an early version of cell-phone texting and such. And I'm not sure if the baseball bounced off the heart in the other card, or Bun Rabbit just hit a foul ball and struck out with his object of hoped-for affection. Let's hope-for the first scenario.

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Many of the cards seem to be themed on 'career'. As demonstrated above (↑)and below (↓). I'm guessing these are from the 1960's, with the Space-Man in Love, and Better Living Through Chemistry themes. Both ideas were very popular in the 1950's-1960's. Thanks-be the second idea went a bit by the wayside.

Looks Like He Had A Bad Case Of The Dry-Throated Knee-Shimmies, Watson

I love looking at the writing on the back of these, trying to Sherlock out what the scoop might have been on that special day. Some are obviously signed by the youthful giver, such as traffic-cop dog Todd (↑). I'm guessing he was very young. Or exceedingly nervous about being VERY much in love.

Some other card signatures suggest that they were signed by an older person. Mom or Dad may have helped out now and then. I thought this about Wanda The Chemist at first glance above(↑). But on closer look, I think this was actually signed by Wanda. Maybe while mastering her cursive lettering. It was 'practiced' with pencil first, and then finalized in ink. I think the signature wandered downhill too fast to have been penned by Mom or Dad.

Then again, if asked to help sign the card as he ran out the door, briefcase in hand and late for work, Dad MIGHT have done a poor job too. But I'm sticking with Wanda, signing her enduring love to who-knows-who, all by herself on that special day.

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This card obviously does something, when you first receive it. There are folds and multiple layers stacked up one after the other. Second photo below(↓), shows the card folded out. There is an area in the middle to pencil or pen your name and deep feelings.

Unfortunately it never was used, as it is unsigned. Or possibly the romantic giver just wanted to stay totally anonymous. I can fully understand that, from my days of youth: "I love you DEARLY, but just from very very far away. "

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A very sweet card, for its time. I really like the pointy, coy pigeon-toes of love. This one is priceless. There is even a little 'flap' to fold out at the bottom. No doubt so you can display it on your work desk or other necessary area, to help point out to your skeptical friends: "See, I TOLD you she liked me. Nanner Nanner!!"

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These 'cards' are actually very small and fragile About an inch and a half wide by two inches across. They appear to be very old. Turn of the last century maybe? They are embossed, with quite a bit of vertical relief. I'm not so sure they were for Valentine's Day or not. Ships, sea shells, doves, and a Courier and Ive's scene. Possibly given for other reasons when reaching out to other folk. Weddings? Funerals? New Baby? Any ideas out there in SteemitLand?

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Glenn signed the card above in rather exuberant fashion. Think he was a youngster. But looking at the front of the card BELOW (↓), he gave his Love an old fashioned shoe...? Not sure what the intent was for this one. Either someone at home picked it out for him, or Glenn just liked fashionable footwear.

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The Hopeless Romantic At 'Work'

These cards remind me of some of the more misguided things I did during these early stages of romance 'education'. (No, nothing like the shoe card, other amorous, wonderfully creative deeds of the clueless-ly absurd). Those spur of the moment, great ideas of professed love and potential romance. Like tossing snowballs at my most recent crush, or pushing her into a pile of leaves on the way home from school. Yikes. No WONDER I never had a 'girlfriend' until later in life.

Maybe if I'd given one of these girls a card with an old-fashioned blue shoe on the front I would have been more successful . Then again, I'm not sure anything would have helped back then in my totally clueless state of hopeless romance. And those clumsy-at-best expressions of intent.

I feel for the young girls of the world. Though hard to believe -- it DOES get better -- as we boys grow older, and more brave about even TALKING to you. And in due time, replacing snowballs and leaf piles with flowers, chocolates, and special Valentine's Day cards. Be patient girls, be patient. Don't write us off too early, we DO learn.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there in the Land of Steemit.

~ Finto ~

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Thanks so much for stopping in to read and view the cards, and I hope you have a marvelous Valentines Day today

Stay tuned, there may be more Valentines Day cards coming out tomorrow as well.

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Thanks for stopping in and viewing some Valentine cards of yesteryear. If you have any thoughts about Valentine's Day, old cards and other baubles of romance, OTHER old cards, new cards, cards that talk to you (for a hefty price, I've discovered), deep romance, how to express your feelings when your knees are knocking like a plastic Halloween skeleton on a door, or anything else this post reminds you of, please feel free to comment away in the spaces below. I'd LOVE to hear from you.

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Please UPVOTE, COMMENT and FOLLOW if you enjoy my works.

And go to @ddschteinn -- There's a whole lot more...

_{Posted: 02/14/2019 @ 15:00}

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Excerpts From Late-Night Conversations With A Mechanical Cat

Fact Number 120