St. Valentine's Day is coming up on February 14. It's a day that some people look forward to, but not so much for others.
Twenty-five years ago on Valentine's Day, my now-husband and Substack co-writer actually got down on one knee and proposed! We got married several months later on September 11, 1998, and we're still going strong!
My father, who was married to my mother for almost 60 years before he passed in 2009, always said that he didn't need a "special day" to prove his love for her, but he gave her a card and a small gift anyway.
So how did Valentine's Day begin?
The holiday is often also called "St. Valentine's Day" because it is named after an actual person named Saint Valentine.
Valentine's Day has been an established holiday for centuries, believed to have originated from a Roman ceremony called Lupercalia. The celebration was dedicated to the god of agriculture, Faunus, and included sacrificing animals and exchanging handmade gifts like cards and candy. Over time Valentine's Day changed from a pagan holiday to one that celebrates St Valentine, who was thought to perform secret marriage ceremonies during a time when it was not allowed.
Valentine himself was a famously known saint who is said to have officiated marriages in direct opposition to Emperor Claudius II’s orders. The Emperor did not believe in marriage because he thought that marriage made his soldiers weak. When Valentine performed marriages anyway, the Emperor actually had him executed!
Some form of Valentine's Day has been celebrated ever since St. Valentine's death in 492 CE.
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Valentine's Day has evolved to its modern-day form where couples around the world give each other heartfelt gifts such as candy, cards, or jewelry. This behavior is especially prevalent in America, but Valentine’s Day is celebrated differently in other countries as well.
In France, people exchange tokens of affection known as “billets doux” and in Japan lovers give Valentine's chocolates to their sweethearts.
Valentine's Day is also celebrated on February 14th in countries around the world such as Ireland, Great Britain, Japan, Russia, and many more where it has become a popular tradition for families and couples to express their love for one another through sweet treats and thoughtful gestures.
On the other hand, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre was the murder of seven members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang that occurred on St. Valentine's Day 1929. The victims were gathered at a Chicago garage on the morning of February 14, 1929, and were lined up against a wall and shot by four unknown assailants, two of whom dressed as police officers.
Here are some other facts about the celebration of St. Valentine's Day:
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that birds began to mate on February 14th which is why we celebrate Valentine's day on this day each year.
A tradition originating from England involves handwriting a letter to one’s beloved and posting it through mail or delivering it personally on Valentine's Day.
Over 100 million roses are given out every year on Valentine's Day.
More than 1 billion paper Valentines are sold every year around the world.
Approximately 85% of all valentines are bought by women.
The average person will spend about $136.00 on their loved one for Valentine's Day.
Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? If so, share some of your favorite Valentine's Day memories with us in the commentsor start a dialogue in the W.A.S. Chat Forum (for paid subscribers only).
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