Valentine’s Day cards too sugary sweet for you? Return to the 19th-century custom of the spicy ‘vinegar valentine’

Victorians found a way to anonymously tell people they didn’t like exactly how they felt.

By: Melissa Chim, Excelsior University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 9, 2026

Words: 1,237

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Melissa Chim, Excelsior University

Ahh, Valentine’s Day: the perfect moment to tell your sweetheart how much you love them with a thoughtful card.

But what about people in your life you don’t like so much? Why is there no Hallmark card telling them to get lost?

The Victorians had just the thing: a cruel and mocking version of the traditional Valentine’s Day card. Later coined “vinegar valentines” by 21st-century art collectors and dealers, such …

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