The Complete Guide to Valentine’s Day History, Spiritual Meaning And Dark Truth to know
Introduction
Valentine’s Day has become one of the most popular holidays centered around love, romance, and celebrating relationships. While the origins of Valentine’s Day trace back to a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine in the 5th century AD, the holiday has evolved into a major commercial and cultural event across many nations.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about modern Valentine’s Day traditions, must-have discussions about the holiday’s darker history and little-known facts, unique gift ideas and celebrations for 2023, and much more. Whether you love or hate the holiday, read on to discover the complete story of Valentine’s Day.
History of Valentine’s Day (February 14th)
Valentine’s Day, also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, is a holiday celebrated on February 14th in the United States and other parts of the world, during which couples show their love with messages and presents. Valentine’s Day is a day when loving ones share candy, flowers, and presents, all in the name of Saint Valentine.
Valentine’s Day did not become popular as a romantic holiday until the 14th century. Who is this enigmatic saint? and Where did these customs originate? Let’s take a look at the history of Valentine’s Day, from the ancient Roman tradition of Lupercalia, which heralded the arrival of spring, through Victorian England’s car-giving customs.
The Legend of Saint Valentine’s
Although the origins of Valentine’s Day and its patrons are unknown, we do know that February has always been associated with passion and that Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. Today’s version incorporates elements of both Christian and ancient Roman custom; but, who was Saint Valentine? and How did he come to be associated with this sacrament
At least three individual saints called Valentine or Valentinus are recognized by the Catholic Church, all of whom were martyred. According to mythology, Valentine was a priest who served in Rome during the third century. Claudius II, the emperor, decided that single men made better soldiers than those with spouses and families. He prohibited young guys from marrying..
Claudius Disobedience
Claudius disobeyed the ruling, recognizing its injustice, and went on to execute covert marriages for young couples. When Valentine’s activities were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death; some suggest that the true namesake of the occasion is Bishop Valentine of Tyranny. He was also beheaded outside of Rome by Claudius II.
According to some accounts, Valentine was assassinated for attempting to aid Christians in escaping from Roman imprisonment. They were frequently beaten and tormented there. According to folklore, after falling in love with a young girl, an imprisoned valentine sent the first valentine greeting to himself.
Possibly his jailer’s daughter, who paid him a visit when he was incarcerated. He is said to have written her a letter signed from your valentine before his death, an expression that is still used today. The truth underlying the Valentine stories, however, is murky.
Valentine’s appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most crucially amorous person will be emphasized in the stories; maybe as a result of this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France by the Middle Ages.
Origin of Valentine’s Day :
While some believe that Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of St. Valentine’s death or burial, which occurred around AD 270, others argue that the Christian church may have chosen this date to Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, which occurs around the ides of February or February 15th.
Who is Lupercalia ?
Lupercalia was a fertility celebration honoring Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as Romulus and Remus, the Roman founders. Members of the Lupercal, a Roman priestly order, would congregate at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were thought to have been cared for by a shoe wolf or lope. A goat would be sacrificed for fertility, and a dog would be sacrificed for purification.
They would then strip the goats skin into strips, immerse them in the sacrificial blood, and slap both ladies in crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being terrified Roman women, the touch of the hides was thought to make them more fruitful in the coming year.
Legend has it that later in the day, all of the city’s young women would sign their names in a large urn. Each of the city’s bachelors would choose a name and be partnered with his preferred wife for the year. These encounters frequently resulted in marriage.
A day of romantic celebration in his 1375
Lupercalia survived the Christianization process but was forbidden as unchristian at the end of the fifth century when Pope Colossians named February 14th Saint Valentine’s Day; however, it was not until much later that the day became permanently identified with love.
During the Middle Ages, it was widely thought in France and England that February 14th marked the start of bird mating season, adding to the idea that Valentine’s Day should be a romantic day.
The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record saint valentine’s day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem parliament of fullest writing. “For this was sent on scene valentine’s day/ when every foul cometh there to choose his mate”.
Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages, yet written valentines did not appear until until the year 1,400. A poem written in 1415 by Charles duke of Orleans to his bride when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt is the oldest known valentine still in existence today.
The greeting is now in the British Library’s manuscript collection in London, England, and it is thought that King Henry V paid a writer named John Ligate to write a valentine note to Catherine several years later.
Who is Cupid?
Cupid is frequently shown as a bare chair firing arrows of love at unsuspecting couples on Valentine’s Day cards. However, the Roman god cupid had Greek mythological roots as Eros, the Greek god of love; tales of his birth differ. Some believe he is the son of Nixon Erebus, while others believe he is the son of Iris and Zephyrus, or even Aphrodite and Zeus, who would have been both his father and grandfather.
According to the Greek Archaic poets, Eros was a gorgeous immortal who used golden arrows to arouse love and lead, as well as to sow dislike in gods and men. He wasn’t shown as the naughty chubby boy he’d become on Valentine’s Day cards until the Hellenistic period.
The Spiritual Meaning of Valentine’s Day
In the Catholic church, Saint Valentine is remembered and honored on February 14th, the day of his death, for his sacrifice and dedication to performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. He became known as a patron saint of love.
Beyond the story of this Christian martyr, Valentine’s Day has a unique symbolic spiritual meaning:
- Celebrating all forms of love – The holiday transcends romantic love and encourages celebrating love, friendship, community, and connection in many forms.
- Expressing gratitude – Valentine’s Day represents expressing gratitude for the people you cherish most. It’s a reminder to value those relationships all year.
- Bringing more love into the world – Choosing a spirit of generosity, compassion, and warmth toward others contributes more love to counter negativity.
So while the holiday is commonly seen in a secular way now devoted to romantic consumerism, breathing life into Valentine’s spiritual meaning can be fulfilling. It’s a chance to reflect upon universal virtues like patience, kindness, and connection.
The Dark History of Valentine’s Day
Behind the chocolates and roses lies a shadowy past filled with pagan rituals, marriage bans, imprisonment, and politics that few discussions of Valentine’s Day acknowledge.
Here are some of the gritty, hidden details in the holiday’s origins:
- Roman pagan festival roots – Some historians trace Valentine’s Day back to Lupercalia, an ancient bloody Roman fertility festival occurring in mid-February that had nothing to do with love or romance.
- Imprisonment for conducting weddings – The Valentine priest performed marriages in secret for soldiers who were legally forbidden from marrying. This defiant act sent him to prison under ruler Claudius II and led to his brutal execution.
- Wiping out pagan practices – As Christianity spread through Rome around 498 AD with Pope Gelasius, the Debaucherous Lupercalia celebration was banned and replaced with St. Valentine’s Day to wipe out the pagan practice.
So while today is dominated by pink, red, and white candy hearts, the early origins contain beheadings, outlawed nuptials, fertility rituals, and religious politics overtones.
Valentine’s Day 2024 Ideas
With another Valentine’s Day approaching, 2024 brings new trends, unique gift ideas, sweet treats, and fun ways to spend the love-filled holiday this year.
Check out these fresh Valentine’s Day 2024 ideas:
- Custom art prints – Digitally designed custom prints featuring photos of you and your sweetie are hot right now. The high-end framed wall art makes for personalized home decor gifts.
- Galentine’s parties – Friend groups are renting Airbnbs for joint girls getaways to celebrate “Galentine’s” day together with spa nights, games, and dining in.
- Heart-shaped jewelry – Heart pendants made of solid gold or sterling silver are topping many women’s Valentine gift wish lists this year.
- DIY dessert kits – Pastry shops are selling cupcake, macaron, and molten lava cake kits to prepare together for tasty at-home gifts.
Instead of doing the same old Valentine’s dinner out, switch it up with one of 2024’s of-the-moment date night ideas or gift trends.
Popular Valentine’s Day Traditions
Valentine’s Day is steeped in certain traditions that have spanned centuries and remain integral practices of the modern holiday celebration across the globe.
Exchanging Cards and Gifts
One of the pillars of Valentine’s Day involves loved ones exchanging small tokens of affection, appreciation and romance through:
- Cards – Handwritten romantic cards have long been given to express love. Over 145 million are sent each year just in America. Mass produced boxed sets now dominate while personalized DIY valentines have also grown in popularity.
- Flowers – Gifting red roses or tulips carries strong symbolic meaning and romance. Flower sales for Valentine’s Day total over $2 billion annually.
- Candy – Heart shaped boxes filled with chocolate are given over 55% of the time, making candy cups and truffles a $1.7 billion industry.
- Jewelry – Small pendants, rings, and earrings are common Valentine’s gifts, especially among couples. Diamond sales climb before February 14th.
Exchanging little gifts remains central to Valentine’s Day historically and now. Stores overflow with plush animals, oversized greeting cards, Jewelery, intimate apparel, and candy ahead of the occasion.
Flower and Chocolate Gifting
Beyond cards, nothing says Valentine’s Day romance quite like flowers and chocolate. These popular gifts stem from traditions tracing far back:
- Flowers: Red roses have iconic status as the ultimate representation of romance and love on Valentine’s Day due to the symbolism behind them in Greek mythology.
- Chocolate: Sweet confections and cacao were considered natural aphrodisiacs by the Aztecs and Maya. When early colonists brought chocolate recipes back to Europe, the associations of chocolate and romance quickly spread.
Ultimately these classic gifts endure because they trigger emotional reactions – delight, sweet anticipation, passion – that evoke the spirit behind Valentine’s Day for that special someone.
Creating Romance at Home
Want to set the perfect romantic Valentine’s Day mood without going out or spending a fortune on a hotel suite? Passion and romance can be injected into the comfort of your own home with these sensual additions:
Planning a Romantic Evening
Cooking a delicious dinner, mocktails, and dessert in the kitchen together is a tasty way to bond over the holiday. Light candles everywhere, put on some smooth music, and decorate the table with rose petals.
Serve with with steak, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, and end with a passionate movie back in the bedroom:
- Set The Tablescape
- Red or white tablecloth
- Placemats
- Candles
- Flower centerpiece
- Charger plates
- Cook A Romantic Dinner
- Filet mignon steaks
- Heart shaped potatoes
- Salad or surf and turf
- Crusty bread
- Chocolate pots de creme
- Prepare Romantic Mocktails
- Lavender lemon spritzers
- Rose sangria with fruit
- Raspberry bellinis
- Transition To Movie
- Get cozy under blankets
- Feed each other chocolate
- Watch romance movie
Romantic Movie Playlist
Recreate the theater experience right from your couch by curating an uplifting film lineup of beloved romance classics:
- Titanic
- When Harry Met Sally
- The Notebook
- Pretty Woman
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Dirty Dancing
Dim the lights, cuddle up with blankets, popcorn, and hot toddies to relax into an in-home date night with a nostalgic twist.
Typical Valentine’s Day Greetings – 14 February 2024
In addition to the united states valentine’s day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico the United kingdom, France, Africa, Asia, Australia and all other parts of the world.
Valentine’s Day became popular in the United Kingdom around the 17th century. Friends and lovers of all social groups exchanged tiny mementos of affection or handwritten notes by the middle of the 18th century, and thanks to advances in printing technology, printed cards began to supplant written letters by 1900.
In a time when direct expressing of one’s feelings was discouraged, ready-made cards were a convenient way for people to express their views. The popularity of mailing valentine’s day greetings has grown as shipping costs have become more affordable. In the early 1700s, Americans began sharing handmade valentines.
Esther Holland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America in the 1840s. Holland, also known as the Valentine’s Mother, produced complex crafts with actual lace ribbons and bright scraps.
Valentine’s Day is now celebrated with an estimated 145 million cards distributed each year, according to the greeting card association. Christmas is the second-largest card-sending holiday of the year, with more cards being sent. Valentine’s Day is a day when we give our loved ones flowers, chocolates, and other unique presents.
Why valentine day is celebrated on 14th February of every year?
Valentine’s day happens every year on February the 14th and we know it as a day where people share their affection with others with gifts some people give roses and chocolates to each other. But why did they do this? and when did it start?
The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which took place in mid-February. Fertility rights and the pairing off of women and men were part of the event, which commemorated the arrival of spring.
Lupercalia was supplanted by some valentine’s day around the end of the 5th century by Pope Gelasius the first, and it was celebrated as a day of romance in the 14th century. Valentinus of Valentinus was the name of numerous saints who were all crucified.
According to mythology, Valentine was a priest who served in Rome during the third century, when Emperor Claudius II determined that single men made better soldiers than those with spouses and families, therefore he prohibited young men from marrying.
Valentine resisted Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young loves in secret formal communications more valentines appear in the 1500s and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being utilized the first commercially printed valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s
RELATED TOPICS : DONT GET FOOLED BY MENS LIE
Full List of Valentines day week 2024 : 14 February 2024
- Happy Rose Day : 7th February
- Happy Propose Day : 8th February
- Happy Chocolate Day : 9th February
- Happy Teddy Day : 10th February
- Happy Promise Day : 11th February
- Happy Kiss Day : 12th February
- Happy Hug Day : 13th February
- Happy Valentines Day : 14th February
- Happy Slap Day : 15th February
- Happy Kick Day : 16th February
- Happy Perfume Day : 17th February
- Happy Flirting Day : 18th February
- Happy Confession Day : 19th February
- Happy Missing Day : 20th February
- Happy Breakup Day : 21th February
Valentine’s day Quotes – 14 February 2024 : Quotes About Love for Valentine’s Day
Across generations, poets, writers, and luminaries have penned the most heartfelt quotes about the essence of love that make beautiful sentiments for Valentine’s Day cards:
“Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet.” – Katharine Lee Bates
“We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones
“Love is friendship that has caught fire.” – Ann Landers
These quotes and hundreds more ondisplay the timeless power of love put into words. They capture the joy, nourishment, connectedness, electricity, and deeper meaning true love brings – concepts easy to get caught up in for Valentine’s Day.
“Love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.”
— Andre Breton ( History about Valentine’s day )
“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly,
and then all at once.” John Green
“It’s always better when we’re together.” —Jack Johnson
( History about Valentine’s day )
“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” –Audrey Hepburn
“Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you.” — Loretta Young
Valentine’s Day Wishes :
- Every day is Valentine’s Day when I’m with you
- I will always love you and you will always be my valentine
- Every love story is wonderful but ours is my favorite
- I never believed in luck until I found you
- I love that we’ve never lost the magic that makes us
- Valentine’s day messages for your Patner
- “You stole my heart and I wouldn’t want it back. Happy Valentine’s Day to the love of my life.”
- “Roses are red, violets are blue, being with you is all I need, Happy Valentine’s Day to you.”
- “I never thought that I would find someone who makes my heart skip a beat, but here you are. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I am so grateful for every moment I get to spend with you. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You light up my world and fill it with love. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “Every time I see you, I fall in love all over again. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You make every day better just by being in it. Happy Valentine’s Day.
- “I can’t imagine a future without you. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You are my sunshine on a cloudy day. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I never knew love could be this amazing until I met you. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I love you more and more every day. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You are my everything. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I can’t wait to spend many more Valentine’s Days with you. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I am so lucky to have you in my life. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You bring joy to my life and make everything better. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I am so thankful for your love. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You are my soulmate and my best friend. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I love being with you and creating new memories together. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You make my heart sing with happiness. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I can’t express how much you mean to me. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I am so happy to call you mine. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You bring happiness and laughter into my life every day. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “Every moment with you is a blessing. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You are my everything and I love you to the moon and back. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “I am so grateful for our love and the life we share together. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Valentine’s Day quotes for your Valentine
- “Love is not just a feeling, it’s a promise to always be there for
each other .” - “Being in love with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
- “I never knew what love was until I met you .”
- “I am so grateful to have you in my life, happy Valentine’s day!”
- “You make my heart skip a beat every time I think of you .”
- “You are my sunshine on a cloudy day, my rock in times of trouble, and my everything.”
- “Happy Valentine’s day to the one who holds the key to my heart .”
- “Every day with you is a beautiful journey, I can’t wait to see where this love takes us .”
- “I love you more than words can say and I will continue to love you for the rest of my life .”
- “I promise to love and cherish you now and always, happy Valentine’s day .”
- “You are my heart’s desire and my soulmate, happy Valentine’s day .”
- “I never want to let go of your hand, I never want to lose the love that we have .”
- “You light up my life and make everything better, I love you so much .”
- “You are my best friend, my love, and my everything, happy Valentine’s day.”
- “I want to spend the rest of my life making you smile, happy Valentine’s day .”
- “I am so grateful for your love, your laughter, and all the little things that make you so special .”
- “I can’t imagine my life without you, you are my everything .”
- “My heart beats for you, my love, and I am so happy to call you mine.”
- “You make my heart sing and fill my life with so much happiness .”
- “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as I will tomorrow.”
- “You are my happily ever after, my soulmate, and my forever Love.”
- “I am so lucky to have you in my life, happy Valentine’s Day.”
- “You are my favorite person, my love, and my best friend .”
- “Happy Valentine’s day to the one who holds the key to my heart and Soul .”
- “I will always love you, now and forever, happy Valentine’s day.”
Valentine’s Day FAQs
Valentine’s Day often raises common questions for those celebrating love or just taking it all in from February 14th sidelines as an observer:
1. Is Valentine’s Day an actual holiday with closures and importance like Thanksgiving?
- No. Valentine’s Day is not a federal holiday in the U.S. Government offices, financial markets, schools, public transit all remain open and running as usual on February 14th. Many countries don’t observe it.
2. What’s Singles Awareness Day?
- Singles Awareness Day (SAD) takes place on February 15th as a playfully named unofficial holiday for those not in relationships. It’s celebrated as a day of self-care and pampering to avoid feeling lonely.
3. Is Valentine’s Day only for couples?
- No! Valentine’s Day is meant to celebrate all forms of love – romantic, friendship, family. Not everyone has a significant other but that doesn’t mean they can’t engage in the holiday by exchanging cards/gifts with friends and relatives.
4. What percentage of Valentine’s Day flowers are roses?
- It’s estimated that nearly 75-80% of flowers gifted on Valentine’s Day are red roses. After roses, tulips, lilies, and carnations are also very popular blooms gifted.
5. How did the heart shape become associated with Valentine’s Day?
- The symmetrical heart shape is believed to symbolize the human heart and be affiliated with love as early as the 14th century. It later became a motif in love notes and Victorian-era Valentines greeting cards, cementing its status as the default shape used commercially with the holiday.
6. Who spends more on Valentine’s Day – men or women?
- According to consumer data, men reportedly spend at least double the amount that women do on Valentine’s Day gifts. Marketing tactics aimed at men combined with social expectations pressure them to spend more.
7. What candy makes up over 35 million pounds sold for Valentine’s Day?
- Conversation candy hearts! Around 8 billion candy hearts with short love-related phrases and messages printed on them are produced each year specifically for February 14th. That’s enough candy to stretch from Rome to Valentine, Arizona if lined up heart to heart!
8. Who Invented Valentines Day – 14 February 2024
Before it became the love fest that people either anticipated or dreaded the true origins of valentine’s day seem to be a bit uncertain. Some experts believe it can be traced back to third century Rome to a mid February pig and fertility festival called Lupercalia.
Where rituals such as a matchmaking lottery and whipping women to ensure their fertility took place. By the fifth century was said that pope glaciers the first Christianized the precaution, replacing it with a feast day for saint valentine.
This is a little more difficult because there are various saint fountains that can be used for this. Legendary traditions, harvest stated, might be seen fountain a Claudius the second in the third century by covertly marrying roman soldiers banned to marry at this interfered with the emperor conquest.
Father Valentine was eventually imprisoned, and during his stay in prison. He was supposed to have fallen in love with or been healed by the jailer’s daughter, and before his execution, he sent her a note signed by your valentine.
However, when English poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem marking the first anniversary engagement of King Richard the second of England to Anne of Bohemia in the fourteenth century, he was responsible for the first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romance.
By the eighteenth century, gift-giving and card-exchanging had made lace and ribbons quite popular in England. In the eighteen hundreds, the practice of giving valentine’s cards spread to the United States, and by the eighteen fifty, companies like as Holland from Massachusetts were mass producing valentine’s cards.
Valentine’s Day may seem a long way from its barbarous and Christian origins in the modern world, but it remains one of the most popular holidays in the globe, and a reminder to show that special someone some special love even if it is just once a year.
Conclusion for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day has certainly evolved far beyond its early Christian beginnings and meditation on a martyred saint into a major commercial and cultural phenomenon. However, at its core, the holiday still champions cherishing connection and celebrating relationships across families, friends, and romantic love.
The gift-giving might seem like a marketing ploy, but exchanging tokens of affection actually echoes ancient traditions rooted in bringing more care and sweetness into our connections, even if just for a day.
In 2024, breathe fresh air into stale Valentine’s Day expectations by trying something new like experiential gifts or tasty DIY kinetic treats. Or lean into traditions like heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and romantic dinners out that endure for a reason – they create joy, richness, and an excuse to shower love.
Most importantly, channel the spiritual essence of Valentine’s Day by showing gratitude for your peeps, spreading more compassion, and recognizing romance comes in infinite forms.
My name is Susanna and in addition to managing the hypeladies – Moms Gallery site; I am also a mother of 2 Children. I’ve been in a lot as a mom including money management, healthy lifestyle, different needs, parenting, 9 to 6 job, working from home, going for walks with my personal groups while raising my kids, world tour with families and much more. !!! I share all of My Experience to motivate all Moms to stay strong so that all succeed in life. Have A Nice Reading