This article may not be reproduced in any form, print or digital, without express written permission from the author, Deborah Allnutt. Copyright 2026.
by Deborah Allnutt 2026
Perhaps the most celebrated event in February, unless your team wins the Super Bowl, is Valentine’s Day. With that comes one of the most universally recognized symbols, the heart, along with gifts of chocolate and flowers to our loved ones. Mostly forgotten, however, is the role buttons have played in how we express love.
From heart-shaped designs to sentimental keepsakes sewn onto clothes, buttons have long been a part of how we show love and creativity.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, buttons were more than fasteners; they were statements. Sometimes they were given as a token of affection, especially when the cost of jewelry was too high. Carved bone, porcelain, and glass buttons featuring hearts, flowers, or initials displayed feelings or intentions.
During the Victorian era, when emotions were kept low-key, buttons sewn onto clothing could signal mourning or affection. A button could sometimes say what words were unable to articulate.
One of the most endearing traits of a button is its ability to hold memories. Buttons may be small, but they connect us to one another. A tin of buttons can evoke warm recollections of the mother or grandmother who saved them. A lone button found in the bottom of a drawer can be a precious reminder of days and people gone by. On Valentine’s Day especially, a button can remind us that love lives in the small things every day of our lives.
This article may not be reproduced in any form, print or digital, without express written permission from the author, Deborah Allnutt. Copyright 2026
