Love Handkerchiefs

Valentine's Day seems like a good time to bring up the lovely embroidered love handkerchiefs from Northern Portugal, which can be found in many Portuguese souvenir shops.

These delightful pieces, or products inspired by them, used to serve a meaningful purpose in the romantic lives of Minho residents.

The Portuguese love handkerchiefs as public expressions of commitment. These handkerchiefs, like a traditional valentine, were designed to ask, "Will you be mine?" They could, however, be sent at any time of year, not just on Valentine's Day.

When a girl reached marriageable age and had her heart set on a young man, she would embroider a love handkerchief for him. The designs she chose were romantic symbols of their future relationship, and she would typically embroider a written message or poem declaring her love for her intended.

If the man wore her handkerchief in public, the young woman would know she had won him over.

The newly committed man would let remaining single women know he was off the market by wearing a lovers' hanky around his neck or in his jacket pocket, especially at major events like parties and fairs. If he didn't, the woman who made the hanky would have to move on and seek a new potential husband.

The practice of embroidering handkerchiefs with devotional messages began among aristocrats in the 17th century, but by the 18th century, it had been adapted into this courtship ritual and had become part of popular culture.

The designs became more colourful, and despite many spelling errors, the handkerchiefs were bright, cheerful, and pretty.

Although courtship has evolved over time, the craft of making these lovely hankies is still alive and well, particularly in northern Portugal.

There is even a committee that evaluates handkerchiefs based on a variety of criteria such as motifs, threads, size, colours, and spelling errors. If it meets their specifications, it is certified as an approved handicraft, so keep an eye out for it.

The annual national handicrafts fair in Vila do Conde, just north of Porto, which runs from July to August, usually has some excellent examples to look at, or better yet, buy.