From 8-year old Hilda’s diary:

This is Valentine’s day. He was a Saint. A Saint is a man who gives away all his clothes and food, even his dessert. On his day, everyone sends everyone else valentines to show that everyone loves everyone. The valentines are pretty pictures of cupids and hearts and flowers. Some of them are trimmed in lovely lace. I got thirty-one valentines in school today and then when I got home I found two more from my Grandmother and Aunt Tillie. Grandfather didn’t give me any. Instead, he put his hand in his pocket and gave me a big silver dollar and he told me to buy a valentine or anything I wanted with it. I think I shall buy a chocolate heart. Maybe I can buy two, one for Grandfather.

I could not easily find an example of valentines and chocolate hearts from the early 20th century but found sites on the history of Valentine cards and on the history of candy. It’s amazing to think that Hilda probably enjoyed some of the same candy that I did as a child: Hershey’s milk chocolate bars and kisses, Necco wafers, and Chiclets all bring back fond (and sweet!) memories for me.