Celebrating Valentine's Day with Handmade Jewelry
They say all you need is love—but gifts are nice, too. Valentine's Day is a holiday adopted by people all around the world to celebrate love in its many facets. The holiday is more than romantic love, bright pinks and expensive gifts; it's an opportunity to proclaim or reaffirm feelings in any of your relationships. Whether it's a Palentine's Day bracelet for your BFF or a sentimental necklace for your sweetie, we invite you to explore the history of Valentine's Day and its modern adaptations to inspire your next handmade creations.
Origin of Valentine's Day
The actual origin of the day is a little murky. It has possible connections to one of three different Saint Valentines the Catholic church recognizes. It may also have been an attempt by early Popes of the Catholic church to remove the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia, a day to celebrate the lupa (she-wolf) that nursed the infant founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.
During the Middle Ages, the 14th of February became associated with the first day of mating season for birds, beginning the date's connection to themes of love, romance and nature. But if anyone is to be credited for this day's popularity, it is the beloved Geoffrey Chaucer, famed author of The Canterbury Tales, and other literary giants of the time. They began to focus on the concept of "courtly love," which later led to the romanticization of chivalry through stories of knights in armor setting forth on great quests for the honor of noble ladies.
Celebrations of Love Around the World
Today, versions of Valentine's Day are celebrated throughout the world. In Latin America, you will encounter Día de los Enamorado (Day of Lovers) and Día del Cariño (Affection Day). On June 12th, one day before Saint Anthony's Day (the Saint of Marriages), Brazil celebrates Dia dos Namorados (Lovers' Day).
During their lunar year, China celebrates the Qixi festival to honor the annual meeting of the cowherd and the weaver girl from Chinese mythology.
In Japan, Valentine's D ay is celebrated as a two-part event. On Valentine's Day itself, Japanese women give gifts of chocolate to their coworkers and crushes—cheap store-bought chocolates for platonic relationships and handmade or expensive chocolates for those they have deeper feelings for. In the 1970s, Ishimura Manseido, a small confectionary shop, created a March 14th "reply day" campaign as a chance for men to repay the Valentine's Day generosity of the women. The new holiday, later dubbed White Day (for the marshmallow chocolates first included in the promotion), has remained popular and today is celebrated across most of East Asia.
Many Lebanese people see Saint Valentine as their patron saint, and it is popular for lovers to share gifts of chocolates, cupcakes, roses and sweet words on the holiday.
South Korea loves the number 14 and its relation to love so much that the 14th of every month is a celebration of a different aspect of love.
Taking a more modern twist on the usual Valentine's Day revelries, Palentine's and Galentine's Day are becoming increasingly popular. Friends, regardless of relationship status, gather to exchange small gifts or share a meal to celebrate the love and connection of friendship.
The Best Valentine's Day Gifts
When it comes to Valentine's jewelry, what matters is not how much you spent, but how much emotion you put into it. Whether you are making jewelry for your significant other or for your customers to purchase for their loved ones, the effort you put into the design speaks volumes .
Call back to vintage décor aesthetics with the largely popular and recognizable Cupids and cherubs. These little angel-like children have been seen as messengers of love for years. They are associated with romance and traditional representations of the Greek god of love and fertility, Eros.
Another way to pack your pieces with deeper meaning is by using infinity symbols. With them, design possibilities are truly endless. The gentle loops of this simple symbol silently say "forever" for an excellent embellishment in minimalistic styles. Other icons of infinite devotions include the claddagh and Celtic knot heart pendants, which are Irish symbols representing infinity and the interconnected nature of life.
Another sentimental style of Valentine's gift comes from Padua, Italy. As a continuation of tradition from Southern Germany and Northern Italy, charms called Saint Valentine's keys are gifted. These little silver keys are given to lovers or potential lovers as an invitation to unlock the giver's heart, inviting a relationship to begin with the receiver. This can be done with dual jewelry, one for you and your partner, where your partner receives the key to a lock on your jewelry.
If you're looking for something a little more medieval in material, you can use chainmaille techniques to create bracelets or other metal-based jewelry. Flirt with combinations of red and silver metal links and include your choice of heart shaped beads and charms to form your own shining armor.
These are but a few of the many design inspirations available for free in our Gallery of Designs, all waiting for you to start beading, weaving, smithing or sculpting your next design. Just remember the secret ingredient: love!
Shop for Your Materials Here:
Have a question regarding this project? Email Customer Service.
Copyright Permissions
All works of authorship (articles, videos, tutorials and other creative works) are from the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads® Collection, and permission to copy is granted for non-commercial educational purposes only. All other reproduction requires written permission. For more information, please email copyrightpermission@firemtn.com.