valentine's day folk cards
  • For most of us, true love means more than just buying a new wallet and a pink 'I love you, baby' cup for our loved ones on Christmas or Valentine's Day. Also, for most of us, finding a lovely and symbolic gift for our other half takes nerve-eating, time-consuming rummaging through all those humongous piles of fluffy, cheesy and totally overrated red hearted-pillows and scented candles, hoping for a tiny-special-something that could embound all our love and gratitude for the ones who... let's put it this way...make our hearts melt :P
    However, I believe no gift in the world would say 'I love you' 
    better than your own words intended for your beloved sweetheart; 
    with or without that scented candle.
    This is my idea of perfect gift for a dear one, made with love and patience,
    hand-printed on silky-smooth paper, waiting for you to adorn them with you most sincere emotions:



    'the kiss'
    - inspired by the Romanian folklore, this card represents Dragobete's kiss, a symbolic romanian figure, equivalent of Valentine's Day, celebrated at the end of February. The tradition requiers young, unmarried girls and boys to gather flowers and play/sing/dance altogether in a brightly lit glade, while members of their families cheer and applaude; at a certain point, the hoe-down stops and the girls run away, hiding and screaming, while the boys are  trying to find them; each single girl then sneaks out and picks with a light stroke of her bouquet the innatentive young man she finds attractive and kisses him; the boys do the same, until a sharp cry ends the game and the groups melt away, with the girls running home and hiding the love-bouquets, hoping to get married. The ritual of kissing the one you liked in that day's celebration was called Dragobete's engagement, a childish, yet significant gesture, made in the name of pure love. That is why, in Romania, it is often said 'Dragobetele sărută fetele!' (Dragobetele kisses the girls!), as a love celebration for that time of year, at the arrival of spring.

  • 'birdie love'
    - in Romanian folklore, Dragobete is also known as the day when 'the birds are betrothed'; 
    in this time of the year, birds start building their nests and mate, 
    letting everybody know that it's officially the first day of spring in local customs.
Description
folk love cards

'the kiss'
- inspired by the Romanian folklore, this card represents Dragobete's kiss, a symbolic romanian figure, equivalent of Valentine's Day, celebrated at the end of February.
Fields
Illustration
Date
2011