The Origins and History of Valentine’s Day
My next favorite holiday is two weeks away. Did you know Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular holidays in America? Did you know 190 million Valentine’s cards are sent each year, more than any other holiday except for Christmas? I’ve loved Valentine’s Day since I was in grade school. I remember the night before Valentine’s Day signing all those Valentine’s to give to my classmates. Learning about the history of Valentine’s Day makes this holiday even more meaningful.
Valentine’s Day and the Legend of St. Valentine
It isn’t exactly known how the 14th of February became Valentine’s Day; however, there are a couple of legends that have been linked to this modern-day holiday. One of these legends has the holiday originating from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration that was observed on the 15th of February. The rise of Christianity in Europe caused many pagan holidays to be renamed for and dedicated to early Christian martyrs. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day, observed on the 14th of February, and proclaimed this feast day in honor of St. Valentine, a Roman martyr who lived in the third century.
Along with this St. Valentine, the Catholic Church recognizes two more saints named Valentine who were also martyred. One St. Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and children, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other legends contend Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons. According to one of these legends, an imprisoned Valentine sent the first “valentine” greeting to himself after he fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” a salutation that is still used today. Some believe Valentine’s Day is celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial.
The History of Valentine’s Day Linked To Love
The day first became associated with romantic love in the 14th century when Geoffrey Chaucer linked St. Valentine’s Day to romance. In medieval France and England, it was believed that birds mated on the 14th of February. Chaucer used the image of birds as a symbol of lovers in poems dedicated to the day. By the 18th century, gift giving and exchanging handmade cards on Valentine’s Day had become common in England. This tradition eventually made its way to the United States. Esther A. Howland created the first American Valentine’s Day greeting cards. It was not until her cards were commercially produced in the 1840s that the Valentine’s Day tradition really caught on.
Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
Today, more than 62% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day. The most popular gifts are candy and flowers; however, nearly 20% will give jewelry. For those of you thinking about giving jewelry this Valentine’s Day, here are a couple of gift ideas:
This Alpaca Silver and Rose Quartz necklace was designed and handcrafted by Brazilian artist Nilson de Assis. Rose quartz has been used in love rituals and ceremonies for centuries, and remains the stone of the hopeless romantic. The perfect piece for Valentine’s Day.
This Alpaca Silver and Amethyst bracelet was also designed by Nilson de Assis. Amethyst is the birthstone for February.
For other Valentine’s Day gift ideas visit the Unique Jewelry on the VirtuArte website.
