Saint Valentine’s Day, more commonly known as Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated on February 14 of each year. In the weeks leading up to February, store shelves begin to filled with the common symbols of Valentine’s Day, including cupid, hearts, doves and a lot of pink and red. Loved ones exchange tokens of their admiration of each other. These commonly include candies, stuffed animals, flowers or other gifts.
The history of Valentine’s Day includes both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. There are primarily three legends as to when and where Valentine’s Day originated. The first legend is a priest by the name of Valentine who served in 3rd century Rome who had defied Emperor Claudius II. The Emperor had decided that single men made better soldiers than those who where married with families and ordered that men and women were not to marry. Despite the Emperor’s orders, Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret. When his actions were discovered, the Emperor ordered Valentine to be put to death. The second legend suggests Valentine was put to death after helping Christians escape Roman prisons. Another legend believes Valentine was imprisoned and sent the first Valentine greeting to a young lady he had fallen in love with. The young lady was the jailors daughter who had come on numerous occasions to visit him. Before his death, he sent a letter to the young lady and signed it, “From Your Valentine”. Although the origins are not completely clear, many believe Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial. Others believe it is celebrated in mid-February because in ancient Rome this was the beginning of Spring. Regardless of the reason for February 14 being the date it is celebrated, Pope Gelasius I declared the date as Valentine’s Day in A.D. 496.
Valentine’s Day is the second largest day for card giving, according to the Greeting Card Association. An estimated one billion cards are sent on this holiday, following Christmas where 2.6 billion are given. Of the one billion cards that are given each year, approximately 85% are purchased by women. The first Valentine greeting dates back as far as the Middle Ages, although the first written did not appear until the 1400s. Esther Howland of Massachusetts is given credit for selling the first mass-produced Valentine’s card in the United States during the 1840s.
Gift-giving has expanded to much more than just a greeting card. Many believe you must shower your loved ones with extravagant gifts to show them how much you care for them. Flowers are commonly given by men. Of all the flowers bought on Valentine’s Day, 73% are bought by men. The most common flower given is a red rose, which tradionally means love. Candy, more commonly chocolate, is given as well, leaving the candy sales reaching over $1 billion for this holiday alone.
Although Valentine’s Day is a time to spend with loved ones, approximately one in four United States citizens do not celebrate the holiday. There are many reasons people may not celebrate, including not having being in a relationship or having bad experiences during this time. Approximately 10% of women send flowers to themselves for Valentine’s Day.
However Valentine’s Day is spent, it is a day to show your loved ones how much they mean to you.
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