Write Magic With A Love Letter

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, there’s love in the air with love struck couples preparing to celebrate the day in various manners. Whether that is by presenting gifts to each other, going for a romantic meal or even taking a quick break, there’s sure to be plenty of romantic intentions on 14^th February.

For those wondering how old Valentine’s Day is, there’s unfortunately no set agreement between historians. Some argue that it goes back to Rome when Pope Galesius added Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni to the saint’s calendar, making the day ‘St Valentine’s Day’.

There’s also an argument that Geoffrey Chaucer helped to encourage the romantic connection when he mentioned Valentine’s Day in his poem, Parlement of Foules in 1382. So while Valentine’s Day itself is only a few centuries old, the concept of love letters is far older.

A Tradition Millennia Old

According to the Jane Austen Centre, some of the earliest love letters could have been seen in the Bible with the Song of Solomon. Further early letters could be found from Cicero and Pliny who wrote them to their wives, but letter writing has continued throughout the centuries.

Famous examples of love letters that have gone down in history include Beethoven’s letter to his “Immortal Beloved”, sent in 1812, and Oscar Wilde’s letter to Lord Alfred Douglas. They continued to be sent throughout the 19^th and for much of the 20^th century, but the increase in the use of technology has unfortunately rendered hand written love letters almost obsolete.

A new study from British Airways of 2,000 adults has found that sending love letters is one of the tasks that we no longer do. In fact it ranked 7^th on a list of tasks that are increasingly uncommon. With the easy availability of email and text, it is perhaps understandable why the traditional art of writing love letters is no longer common.

Write A Love Letter This Year

With the news that love letters are becoming uncommon, why not consider giving your loved one a more personalised touch this year by writing a love letter? Given how unusual they are becoming, it is sure to be appreciated and will show that you have been thinking about them. It will also give them a permanent reminder of your love that they can treasure for many years.

While plain white paper is sure to be just as appreciated as anything else, consider bringing a touch of romance to your letter by using pink paper. Pink is associated with romance and love as it is said to represent compassion, romance and affection.  When you are writing your heartfelt words down with a red pen to keep the romantic theme going, red is the perfect colour as it symbolises love, passion and desire.

So why not pick up a pen this year and re-ignite this time old tradition for your loved one with a love letter?