can you smell it Love is in the air again? It’s time again for all things red, pink, and romantic. Although love should be celebrated every day, with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, most of us are getting ready to express our love to someone special and let them know how important they are to us. But do you know the truth about Valentine’s Day?

A generous Valentine’s Day is now associated with flowers, chocolates, gifts, fancy dinners, and dates, but the history of Valentine’s Day isn’t necessarily rooted in love and romance. Most of us indeed realize that this day is meant to honor the death of St. Valentine, but the exact origin of this romantic day isn’t romantic.

What is Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day, also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, is a social custom celebrated by couples of all ages around the world on February 14th every year. Filled with cards, eye emojis, marigolds, flowers, and candy boxes, it is a day of love when lovers express their affection and appreciation for their partner through gifts and greetings. Unfortunately, with the commercialization of the holiday, most of us have either forgotten or failed to realize the true history of Valentine’s Day.

This holiday, also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, is deeply rooted in ancient Rome and was initially celebrated in Victorian England. However, the origin story may not be as romantic as we’d like to believe. There is a lot of mystery surrounding its origin. So, put on your fedora glasses and pink mugs and let’s explore the adorable origins and history of Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Why is Valentine’s Day celebrated?

Now that we know what Valentine’s Day is, let’s delve into the question – why is Valentine’s Day celebrated? Did you know that the first Valentine’s Day was celebrated in 496? The history of Valentine’s Day is a bit complicated. According to the BBC, the holiday may have originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a pagan fertility festival, which was celebrated at the beginning of spring…mid-February. Although the origins of the Lupercalia are unclear, the festival was organized by the Luperci, a company of priests. The festivities began with the sacrifice of a goat for fertility and a dog for purification, after which the goats were eaten at the Feast of Sacrifice. The Luperci then used the masking of the sacrificed animals and comically beat the women who approached them, while the male priests ran. The aim of these rituals was to encourage fertility, both in crop fields and women.

The festival also included intermarriage between men and women on the basis of a lottery. The matchmaking ritual involved eligible male bachelors drawing the names of young single women from a box or urn, who would then become a couple and mate during the festival and could even marry, if the couple agreed.

However, in the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I banned the celebration of the pagan Lupercalia festival because it is believed that the church wanted to make it a more Christian festival. Although there is no clear evidence, many believe that this was the time when the pagan festival was replaced by the saint. Valentine’s Day, which began to be celebrated on February 14th. Although ancient Roman celebrations were prohibited, this day was still associated with love and fertility. Moreover, the legend of St. Valentine added to the already muddled and profound history of Valentine’s Day.

The legend of Saint Valentine

The truth about Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine’s Day may seem somewhat mysterious to some. Yes, most of us are aware that the legend of St. Valentine is associated with Happy Valentine’s Day. But did you know that there are 3 different Saint Valentines associated with this romantic holiday? Let’s unlock the mystery of Saint Valentine and the history of Valentine’s Day. Several early Christian saints named Valentine who may have been the inspiration for Saint Valentine’s Day were martyred. Among them Saint Valentine of Rome, Saint Valentine of Terni and the third Saint Valentine who was martyred in Africa on February 14 are spoken of in most legends.

Saint Valentine of Rome was martyred in the third century and was honored in the calendar of saints in the year 496 by Pope Gelasius I. He was persecuted in 269 under the Roman Empire for converting the Romans to Christianity. Emperor Claudius II, who was a pagan, believed that Roman soldiers would be more devoted if they were forbidden to marry. So the Emperor issued a law forbidding soldiers to marry and established strict laws for Christians. However, Saint Valentine, feeling such rules were unfair, served many Romans and helped soldiers marry in secret ceremonies.

Unfortunately, Emperor Claudius II soon found out the truth and sentenced Valentine of Rome to death for breaking the rules. While imprisoned, Valentine assisted other prisoners and also helped cure the blindness of the jailer’s daughter. According to legend, Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and wrote her a love letter signed “From Your Valentine.” Unfortunately, Saint Valentine of Rome was martyred on February 14, 270.

However, Valentine of Terni and the third Saint Valentine are also believed to be associated with the history of Valentine’s Day as well. Valentine of Terni was a temple priest who also helped young Christian lovers get married. But not much is known about the third Saint Valentine and how it specifically relates to this day of love and romance.

The truth about Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine’s Day eventually became a day to celebrate romance and love during the 14th and 15th centuries. However, it became a real celebration in the 18th century when couples in England began to express their romantic love by giving gifts, flowers and handwritten greeting cards, which was called Valentine’s Day. Perhaps this marked the real beginning of a Happy Valentine’s Day. Although there were romantic greetings to each other during the Middle Ages, when not many people were literate, it was not very common at that time.

Eventually, sending love letters and cards on Valentine’s Day started to gain popularity with the advent of printing technology and pre-printed greeting cards. In the United States, as the celebration was starting to gain traction, an American woman named Esther A. Howland introduced the concept of mass-produced greeting cards for lovers in 1840. Her cards were considered intricate pieces of art which made them popular as “Mother’s Valentine”. Although these cards have become less personal, they have become more economical and feasible which has increased the popularity of sending greetings on this day.

During this period, chocolate became associated with romance thanks to the efforts of Richard Cadbury. In 1861, he introduced heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and marketed them using images of the god of love and attraction, Cupid. By making chocolate commercially and affordable, Cadbury made it a popular item, rather than a luxury lived only by the elite. There is no doubt that the history of Valentine’s Day and the rituals associated with it have greatly influenced how we celebrate the holiday today.

Valentine’s Day around the world

Although the history of Valentine’s Day is a bit muddled, the holiday is very popular all over the world. Apart from the popular celebration in United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, France, South Korea, Argentina, and Mexico, lovers from all over the world express their love in their own special way on Valentine’s Day. Often considered a “Hallmark holiday,” due to its commercialization, the exchange of greeting cards, gifts, chocolates, and flowers has become customary today. Many couples also go on fancy dinner dates, while some choose to celebrate them in a more personal way in the comfort of their own home with home-cooked meals.

The special day is celebrated in many countries and some of them have developed their customs and traditions of wishing Happy Valentine’s Day, based on their unique cultures. While most of us express our love to our romantic interests or partners on this day, many cultures honor Valentine’s Day by showing love to their families and friends. Many school children share Valentine’s Day cards and their teachers to celebrate the history of Valentine’s Day.

In some Latin American countries such as Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Mexico, this special day is known as Día de los Enamorados or Lovers’ Day, when couples share flowers and chocolates. It is also known as Día del Amor y la Amistad or the Day of Love and Friendship as many people express their gratitude and appreciation to their friends and loved ones, who are not necessarily their romantic partners.

In Japan, an error in translation from a chocolate brand gave birth to the custom of women offering chocolate to men on this day, especially among co-workers. However, sharing gifts such as greeting cards or flowers or going on dinner dates is not uncommon. Known as Giri choco, the main focus is on gifting the right amount of chocolate to the right man. In the Philippines, this romantic holiday is celebrated by organizing mass weddings and holding wedding anniversaries for several couples. Many lovers also propose marriage to their romantic partners on Valentine’s Day all over the world as it is seen as a very romantic gesture.

Celebration of love

Whatever the truth about Valentine’s Day, there is no doubt that this is considered a day of love by most people and is widely celebrated all over the world. While some celebrate this holiday with their romantic partners, others celebrate it with their family, friends, and even themselves. Perhaps this is the true beauty of Valentine’s Day. Beyond marketing, gifts, and dinner dates, celebrating love is probably the best way for us to remember St. Valentine and add some magic to our lives.

So go ahead and celebrate love.

Happy Valentine’s Day!