Can we even talk about Valentine’s Day without heading to the most romantic place in the world? I am of course talking about France, and the role it played in Valentine’s Day.

One of the very first Valentines ever sent was in 1415 from Charles, the Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned after the Battle of Agincourt. This romantic gesture caught on with the French public, who began sending love letters of their own! Although Charles would not see France and his freedom again until 1440, his poetic works are well-known even today.

Another French Valentine’s tradition people would get really fired up about is the ‘loterie d’amour’ – or ‘drawing for love’. Men and women would fill houses that faced each other, then take turns calling out to each other and pairing off.

If the gentleman wasn’t happy, he could leave the lady for another. If a woman wasn’t matched to a man by the time the drawing was over, she would gather with all the other unmatched women for a bonfire.

As the fire blazed, these scorned women would burn pictures of the men who snubbed them and scream obscenities and insults at them.

This custom got so out of hand that the French government had to prohibit the ‘loterie d’amour’ entirely.

Ouch. Good thing we don’t have to worry about that in the U.S.A. You can’t help but feel a little bad for these women, though. All they wanted was someone to share their life with, and having your hopes dashed is painful.

Preventing dashed hopes and building a future is exactly what we do through our financial planning services. Give us a call today at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or go online to get started. We’ll have a 15-minute chat and get started on crafting your future right away.

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP®