How the Tudors Celebrated Valentine’s Day (Love, Letters, and Candlemas Traditions)

Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

Heather Teysko

History

4.6 • 624 Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2026

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Did the Tudors celebrate Valentine’s Day? And if so, what did it actually look like before chocolates, roses, and greeting cards? In this episode, we step into mid-February in Tudor England, that quiet stretch between Candlemas and the start of Lent, and explore how people marked St. Valentine’s Day. From candlelit church processions and weather lore to love poems written in the Tower of London, we look at the real traditions behind the holiday. You’ll hear about the medieval belief that birds chose their mates in mid-February, the Duke of Orléans writing a valentine from captivity, and Margery Brews’ heartfelt love letter to John Paston. We’ll also look at how Tudor households actually celebrated, from drawing valentines by lot to exchanging gloves, ribbons, and small gifts. It’s a gentler, quieter kind of Valentine’s Day, set in a world of church calendars, cold February mornings, and handwritten letters carried across the countryside. A small holiday, but one that brought a little warmth to the middle of winter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:49.1	Valentine's Day sits in a curious little pocket of the Tudor calendar. It falls in mid-February after the last echoes of Christmas have faded.
0:58.4	Of course, candle mess happened on February 2nd, which was the end of the Christmas season.
1:02.5	But it's also before the long seriousness of Lent begins.
1:05.6	It's a small moment of color and warmth before the fasting and reflection that lead up to Easter.
1:13.2	To understand how the tutors experienced Valentine's Day, it helps to look also at the
1:17.7	rhythm of the church year. Everything is through this lens, right? Because these weren't isolated
1:23.3	holidays. Each one flowed into the next marking time in a cycle that structured daily life.
1:30.1	So, my friend, get comfortable, grab a beverage, a romantic beverage of choice.
1:34.3	Today we are going to talk about Valentine's Day in Tudor, England.
1:49.3	Hey friend, welcome back to the YouTube channel for the Renaissance English History Podcast.
1:50.2	I am your host, Heather.
1:55.6	I've been podcasting on Tudor England since 2009 with my show, which makes it the original Tudor History podcast.
1:56.9	As you can see, I am already in the Valentine's spirit.
	...

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