The History of Valentines Day
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we couldn’t resist sharing some fun facts about the origins of this special holiday dedicated to love!
Valentine’s Day, (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings, flowers and gifts. Even though it is a highly anticipated holiday for some couples, Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century.
How did Valentine’s Day Start?
Some historians believe it has roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. Held yearly on February 15, Lupercalia celebrated the coming of spring and fertility. It involved animal sacrifice, lots of drunken revelry, and possibly a ritual in which men and women were paired off by choosing names from a jar.
As Christianity spread, pagan rituals fell out of favor. At the end of the 5th century AD, Pope Gelasius I outlawed the celebration. He’s sometimes credited with implementing St. Valentine’s Day, a holy feast day, to replace it, but we don’t have definitive proof of that. Regardless, the Christian holiday eventually overtook the riotous Lupercalia.
Who Was St. Valentine?
St. Valentine was a Christian priest who lived in Rome during the 3rd century AD. At that time, Emperor Claudius II (268-270 AD) had outlawed marriage for young men, believing that single men made better soldiers. St. Valentine defied the emperor’s decree and continued to perform marriages in secret.
When Emperor Claudius II discovered this, he had St. Valentine arrested and put in prison. While in prison, St. Valentine is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer and converted her and others to Christianity.
Before his execution on February 14th, St. Valentine wrote a letter to the jailer’s daughter, signing it “From your Valentine.” This is where the modern-day expression “Be my Valentine” comes from.
Fun Facts about Valentines Day
The first recorded Valentine was sent in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Approximately 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged in the United States each year, making it the second-largest card-sending holiday after Christmas! And don’t forget about the conversation hearts! The popular conversation hearts candy was first created in 1866. Today, about 8 billion conversation hearts are produced each year, with various messages printed on them.
One of the most traditional and sought after Valentine’s gift is the red rose. Red roses are a symbol of love and passion, making them a popular gift on Valentine’s Day. The tradition dates back to ancient Greece and Rome, where roses were associated with Aphrodite and Venus, the goddesses of love.
While Valentine’s Day is primarily celebrated in the United States and many Western countries, it’s also observed in various ways around the world, such as the “Day of Love and Friendship” in Colombia. In recent years, spending for Valentine’s Day has grown, with millions of people spending on gifts, dinners, and experiences to celebrate!
