Valentine's Day History

Valentines Day is a celebration for lovers and couples but it wasn't always that way. 

by PaulaH

Valentines Day is held on February 14th and is traditionally celebrated by sending valentines, giving gifts to one another like chocolates and expressing each others’ love. In the early history of Valentines Day though, there were no such romantic connotations. 

The day started as a way to honor the memory of St. Valentine, who was not one particular saint, but several different ones who were martyred for their beliefs. The church created a day of celebration for these martyrs and Valentines Day was born. It wasn't until much later that the idea of romance came into play.

Geoffrey Chaucer was the first person to introduce the notion of Valentines Day as something romantic in his work, Parliament of Foules.  While it seems to be the first representation it is certainly not the last and eventually Valentines Day would become the romantic holiday it is today with very little thought to its origins as a holy day within the church.  While the idea of Valentines Day as a romantic holiday was perpetuated around the world for some time, the complete commercialization of the holiday can be blamed solely on the United States.

Because it became customary for couples to send cards, love poems and notes to one another on Valentines Day, the American Greeting Card Association started to mass produce cards, called valentines for this purpose.  The idea caught on and increased in popularity until modern times where Valentines Day is the second most popular greeting card day with over one billion cards sent, exceeded only by Christmas.  This explosion in growth has remained to this day where Valentines Day is celebrated by couples for romance and also by children who indulge in candy and giving valentines to one another.

Nowadays Valentines Day has lost almost all significance to a holy day with the exception of a few people who are more religious.  But, the general public seems to concentrate on the romantic and fun aspects of Valentines Day.  Symbols include hearts, doves, flowers, cherubs and cupid.  Traditional gifts include Valentines Day cards, chocolates and flower.  Some decide to add more elaborate gifts such as weekend getaways or jewelry.  Valentines Day is also a highly popular day for people to become engaged.  Many will take their significant other on a romantic date and pop the question on the most romantic holiday of the year.

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