Happy Valentine’s Day from Smallflower! We all know the common symbols surrounding Valentine’s Day, such as roses, love letters and chocolates, but how did the tradition of “Valentine’s Day” start? As a 150 year old business, we’re steeped in unique history, so we’re doing a deep dive into the historical origins and traditions of the romantic holiday.
St. Valentine
The namesake of “Valentine’s Day” is said to have originated with the Catholic “Saint Valentine”. While there were several Catholic St. Valentines, the Saint Valentine is thought to have been a Roman Catholic priest from 3rd century Rome. In the 3rd century, the Roman emperor Claudius had outlawed marriage for young men, wanting them to become soldiers in his army. St. Valentine opposed this and married young couples anyway, so was hence arrested by Claudius. It is said that while in prison he fell in love with a young woman and signed one fateful letter to her “from your Valentine,” coining the expression we still use today (Encyclopedia Brittanica).
Lupercalia
You may be thinking: there’s lots of Catholic saints, and many Catholic saints have feast days. What makes St. Valentine’s day so special? Well, around 200 A.D., the pagan Romans were hosting a yearly fertility festival during February in Rome called “Lercalia”. The Catholics, believing this festival to be immoral, really hyped up St. Valentine’s Day in order to take attention away from the festival. And it worked. Therefore, we still celebrate Valentine’s Day today (history.com).
The Addition of Romance
During the middle ages, the French and English believed February 14th to be the starting date of birds’ mating season, thus associating St. Valentine’s Day with romance. The first proper “Valentine” was said to have been sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. The first line of the poem reads: “I’m already wearied by love, my very sweet Valentine”. Further, Shakespeare mentions St. Valentine’s Day in his plays Hamlet and a Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespearean Student).
The sending of Valentines and Valentine’s day celebrations became popularized throughout the 17th century, and the first mass-produced Valentines and Valentine’s day products were sold in the 1840s (history.com).
Today
And… here we are! At Smallflower, we’re happy to partake in the classic Valentine’s Day traditions. This includes sending gifts and Valentines, but also celebrating love in all forms: romantic, platonic, self-love, or otherwise. Therefore, here are 7 products to send to your Valentine (or bff, or mom, or boss, or yourself, or anyone!) this February.

Hailing from Germany, 4711 has been fascinating the world with its unique scents for over 200 years. Formulated with high-quality essential oils developed to relax and revitalize, the exact recipe for 4711 soaps and cologne is a closely guarded secret. This fun, floral, and festively colored soap is the perfect Valentine’s touch to your bathroom or kitchen.
Santa Maria Novella Armenia Papers

If your Valentine loves elegant and ornate products, Santa Maria Novella products are for you. First founded in 1221 in Florence by Dominican friars creating herbal remedies to use in their monastery, Officinia Profumo Farmaceutica de Santa Maria Novella is one of the world's oldest standing pharmacies. These days, Santa Maria Novella specializes in luxury fragrances, bath, and body products. If you’re looking for a gift steeped in luxury but won’t break the bank, the richly scented Armenia papers are perfect. They can be burned to add an elegant scent to any space, or hidden in sock and linen drawers to add extra freshness.
Beinaime La Vie En Fleurs Dream Body Balm

Founded in 1935 by legendary Perfumer Robert Beinaime, luxury bodycare brand Beinaime has since been reenvisioned to utilize sustainable resources and ethical cosmetics, all while keeping the old-world charm of Robert’s original vision. The hand-crafted Beinaime La Vie En Fleurs Dream Body Balm richly moisturizes and leaves the skin with a luminous and lightly perfumed finish.
Taylor Of Old Bond Street Rose Shaving Bowl

Taylor of Old Bond Street has been manufacturing luxury grooming products for men since 1854. From Victorian-era England, their classic soaps and shaving products are fit for kings – but available at affordable prices. The Rose Shaving Bowl soothes the skin and delivers the delicate scent of English roses.
Caswell Massey Marem Body Cream

Founded in 1752 in Newport, Rhode Island, Caswell-Massey is America’s original apothecary and perfumery. Caswell-Massey originally created the Marem Body cream for the Russian silent film star Alla Nazimova in 1914, but now everyone has the luxury of getting to use it as well. Its rich, velvety texture and nourishing ingredients like shea butter and pure sweet almond oil leave your skin feeling soft, supple, and glowing
Mason Pearson Handy Sensitive Bristle Brush

In 1885, inventor Mason Pearson developed the idea of the “pneumatic” hairbrush that utilized a rubber cushion to kindly massage the scalp while effectively combing the hair. To this day, these same values are infused into every Mason Pearson brush, which are not mass-produced and are still built by hand. Mason Pearson brushes are made to last, so they’re the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the person who appreciates craftsmanship and quality.

Founded in 1865 and revived in 2015, BLOCKI fragrances combine vintage and modern elements to create something new. If you’re shopping for a particularly romantic fragrance this Valentine’s Day, Esprit D’Amour is a hypnotically sweet aroma that truly captures the spirit of romance and Valentine’s Day, utilizing notes of Amalfi Lemon, Bergamot, Sandalwood and Tonka.
Explore these and more perfect Valentine’s Day gifts with our curated Valentine’s Day collection here