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A Valentine Party

Excerpt from: Modern Entertainments by Ethel Merriman (1898).  This html version was prepared and slightly edited by Susan Broadwater. This document is part of the Victorian Parlor Games packet that is for sale from Moonstone. For information on the packet email Susan Broadwater.

One may have more fun at a valentine party, if it is properly gotten up, than at any other form of entertainment given during the winter.

Let your notes of invitation be quite elaborately symbolic of the day in the matter of decoration, making use of Cupid's hearts, arrows, birds and flowers as fancy dictates. If you are not artist enough for this, and do not wish to hire it done, cut hearts from cardboard, gild the edges and write the invitations upon them; then enclose them in plain envelopes.

Each guest is requested to bring three valentines--one comic one, addressed to himself; one pretty one for the St. Valentine grab-bag, and one that is original, written on plain paper, enclosed in a plain envelope, addressed to one of the guests, and dropped into a box prepared for the purpose. A hat-box, with a hole cut in the top, will do nicely. Set the box on a table in the hall, and have the guests drop the original valentines into it as they enter.

The idea is to have no one know who wrote these valentines. A list of the guests expected is sent with each invitation. In order that no one may be omitted, the hostess or one or two of her intimate friends should prepare one of these valentines for each guest. The box containing them is not opened until after the refreshments are served. Then the hostess seats herself at one end of the room, and, opening the box, takes out the valentines one by one. As she does so she reads the address aloud, and the owner is expected to come forward for the valentine and read it aloud before all the assembled guests. If that is pronounced an utter impossibility because of its nature, he or she must be prepared to sing a verse of a song, speak a piece or tell a story.

The comic valentines are pinned on a sheet hung against a wall. The name of the one bringing it is written on the back, where it cannot be seen. The front bears a number. Each guest is given a card upon which he writes a number of the valentines and, opposite, the name of the person whom he thinks brought it. These cards are examined just before the refreshments are served, and the one making the most good guesses is given a prize. A consolation prize is given the one who makes the fewest guesses.

When it is remembered that each one selects his own comic valentine, intending it as a "take-off" on himself, it will be seen how much fun may be had without any one being offended. These valentines should not be pinned to the sheet until all the guests have arrived; otherwise new additions will quickly be connected with late arrivals. If there is a large party it would be wise to have two sheets, so as to divide the crowd. A screen may be used to advantage, if the room is decorated for the occasion, and the sheet of valentines is likely to spoil the effect.

The valentine grab-bag should be made of two sheets of pasteboard, cut heart-shaped and covered with flowered cretonne. The pretty valentines are put into this and carried around among the guests just before the party breaks up. Each one is expected to "grab" one, and the fun of comparing them forms the last feature of the occasion. No one knows, when bringing the valentine, who will carry it away; he may even grab the one he brought.

It is a pretty idea to have this bag carried around by a little child dressed as "Cupid," although, of course it is not a good plan for any child to be allowed to sit up so late.

When the rooms are to be decorated, take care to have the decorations selected with special reference to the occasion, heart-shaped flower pieces and little Cupids swung from festoons of greenery being conspicuous.

The refreshments should also be as symbolic of the season as possible. Cut the sandwiches heart-shape. A tin cake-cutter can be obtained at a hardware store that will do nicely if the bread is cut in thin slices and the meat is minced. Ice cream cakes and bonbons should be heart-shaped.

To prevent stiffness during the early part of the evening, it is a good plan to have a valentine badge for each guest, on which half of an appropriate motto is printed. It should be of ribbon, and the lettering should be done in water colors. These badges should be in little silk bags, presided over by a young lady assistant. One bag contains badges for gentlemen, the other for ladies, and each guest should be required to draw one upon entering the room. He must then find the person whose badge contains the other half of his motto, and it will be his duty to take her into supper. Of course the earlier arrivals are liable not to have the other half of their motto drawn before the last guest puts in an appearance. But as they will find it necessary to question each newcomer, the company becomes animated frm the start and everything passes off satisfactorily.

Mottoes may be taken from any of the poets or they may be of home production, if preferred. For instance, a gentleman's badge might bear these words:

He must then search for a lady whose badge reads:

When he has found her, he escorts her to the hostess, who compares the badges with the list of mottoes she has copied, and tells him whether or not he has the right companion. Half a sentence may be written on each valentine, if rhymes are hard to find, but be sure that the sentiment expressed is appropriate to the occasion.

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Last modified: 01/17/05