We know Valentine’s Day as a day of love and associate it with red roses, heart shaped chocolate, and chance for couples to simply celebrate … each other! It’s no secret that Valentine’s Day has become over-commercialised and some even argue that it is solely pushed for profit. Although that may be partly true, many see it as the perfect opportunity to express their love and devotion to another person – what’s bad about that? Debates and politics a side, where does the name actually come from and what makes the day so special in the first place? Here are some interesting facts about Valentine’s Day that you may not have known before!
1. The holiday traditionally gets its name from Saint Valentine, who was a priest that married hundreds of couples in the old Roman Empire when the emperor forbit it. However, there has been much debate over the true identity of Saint Valentine himself as historical accounts are often vague and unreliable. Some historians even believe that English poet Geoffrey Chaucer invented Valentine’s Day as he often wrote fictitious accounts surrounding real life historical figures. Valentine’s Day was originally a religious festivity, but due to various accounts which made it difficult to verify Saint Valentine’s true identity, it was stripped of the title in 1969. So is it all just one big fairy tale?
2. One theory that surrounds Valentine’s Day is that it started because of the Roman’s obsession with fertility. Many believe that it stems from the sexually-charged Lupercalia festival which saw Roman men spanking women in hopes of increasing their fertility. Held very close to our V-day, these ‘celebrations’ took place on February 15th so it is plausible to see how this may have been part of its origins.
3. Valentine’s Day cards weren’t always a thing in America, although they seem to be as commonplace as Christmas and birthday cards nowadays. Esther Howland was at the forefront in commercialising Valentine’s Day cards and shifting them towards a more romantic tone rather than a comedic one.
4. Unsurprisingly, chocolate and flowers are the most common gift of this holiday. If you find yourself shopping only to be disappointed by empty shelves and limp dying flowers, why not save yourself the hassle and order chocolate online? You may even look to getting your chocolate gift personalised, to add that extra special touch. Additionally, there a plenty of florists which offer delivery services, meaning they will reach your loved one in perfect condition.
5. As briefly mentioned before, Valentine’s Day didn’t start off how it is now and wasn’t always directly linked to love. Saint Valentine perhaps married people to rebel against his country, and the ludicrous Lupercalia festival seemed to be about male power and reproduction. However, in the 1400’s we begin to see accounts of Valentine’s Day being related to love and romance. In 1415, Charles, The Duke of Orleans referred to his wife as his Valentine in a letter when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, be sure to show your loved one (whether platonic or romantic) how much you care about them!