The first Valentine card that was decorated and poetic is attributed to the imprisoned Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1415. He eased the pain of incarceration by writing love verses to his wife.
By the 1700s, manufactured cards became the most popular way to declare love. The cards were elaborately hand-painted and decorated with gold leaf, satins, silks and exotic feathers.
Retailers now say that chocolates and roses are the best symbols of love. Candy or not, Feb. 14 remains the one day of the year given over to romance.