By the 19th Century another symbol of love became the paper hand.
It was considered a symbol of courtship because of the custom of a man "asking for a lady's hand" in marriage. The hands of a lady have been a favorite valentine decoration for many years and are thought to depict desirable feminine qualities. The beauty of the image is often enhanced by the addition of a frilled cuff and/or a jeweled ring on the third finger. Clasped hands are said to represent those of Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert...the symbol of friendship between their respective countries of England and Germany.And eventually tiny paper gloves became a valentine card symbol as well.... evolving into gloves (esp. silk) becoming a popular gift for a man to give his sweetheart. Eventually, a woman sort of expected a pair of good gloves as a gift. Later a man would also give shoestrings, silk stockings, garters and jewelry to his sweetheart for Valentines. In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.
