Valentine's Day

Every year on February 14, people all around the world celebrate a holiday dedicated to romantic love, friendship, and adoration. On February 14, people throughout the world send notes of love and appreciation to the people they care about most. Valentine's Day is a day when friends and lovers show their appreciation for one another by exchanging cards, flowers, and special activities.

Valentine's Day's Origins in Antiquity

Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who lived in the third century, is honored on February 14 as the inspiration for the holiday we now celebrate in his honor. The mythology of St. Valentine developed from the countless tales told about him over the centuries. Many Romans were making the transition to Christianity during Valentine's lifetime, but Emperor Claudius II, a pagan, instituted harsh regulations for Christians. As Claudius envisioned it,

Roman soldiers should give their undivided allegiance to the empire, he banned them from marriage. This marked the beginning of St. Valentine's fame as a romantic idealist who secretly performed Christian weddings for troops stationed abroad. As expected, Valentine was exposed for his betrayal of Claudius and sent to jail. While in jail, Valentine looked out for his fellow inmates and the blind daughter of his jailor. One popular tale has it that after curing the girl's blindness, Valentine wrote her a love letter signed "from your Valentine" before being beheaded. On February 14, 270, Valentine was put to death.

Why did Valentine's Day come to be?

More than two hundred years later, on February 14, Saint Valentine's Day was officially recognized. The Catholic Church, which had by now converted Rome, was eager to eradicate all vestiges of pagan practice. As a replacement for an annual pagan fertility celebration, the Pope declared February 14 Saint Valentine's Day, thus adding a new feast day to the Catholic calendar. St.

Valentine's Day is commonly associated with romantic love, although it wasn't until the middle Ages that the poet Chaucer made that connection. In this way, the custom of courtly love—a ritual of secretly expressing love and admiration—began. This tradition quickly expanded over Europe, giving rise to tales of a High Court of Love on February 14th, where female judges would hand down decisions on matters of the heart. Historians speculate that these gatherings were actual events where people read love poems and performed flirtation games with one another.

Assorted Valentine's Day Symbols

As the custom of sending messages of love spread, it evolved into the habit of sending handmade cards. Beautiful works of art, each card was uniquely produced by the sender to express their affection for the recipient. Oftentimes, cards would be accompanied by a touching poem or proclamation that the recipient was stunning and cherished by many. Images of cupid, hearts, flowers and lace or ribbon served as embellishments on Saint Valentine's Day greeting cards. All across the world, people recognize and utilize these images as symbols of love.

In the modern era, what does the concept of Valentine's Day entail?

Though Valentine's Day is a popular holiday around the world, various cultures have added their twists to the holiday. In some cultures, Valentine's Day is more about celebrating the bonds between friends and family than between romantic partners. Leaving candies and gifts for kids is one custom while showing appreciation to friends is another. Millions of greeting cards are distributed on Valentine's Day every year, and this holiday is most often thought of as a time to celebrate romantic love. Loved ones are showered with blooms or a single red rose, and couples share intimate moments.

Valentine's Day is celebrated by many couples with a romantic supper, picnic, or home-cooked meal accompanied by bouquets. Food is commonly given with symbols of love such as hearts and flowers for Valentine's Day at many eateries. Blossoms Florals retail locations and websites both feature exquisite collections of exotic Valentine's Day flower arrangements that are sure to impress that special someone.

Getting away to a lovely hotel for the night is another common Valentine's Day activity, as it allows the couple to reconnect while still celebrating the holiday. Valentine's Day is also a popular time for people to ask to get married to the person they're dating. The most inventive marriage proposals I've ever heard of involved a trek to the peak of a mountain or a note on a billboard. In most cases, Valentine's Day marriage proposals are memorable and romantic no matter the approach used.