Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day?
We celebrate Valentine's Day, because until 1969, it was one of the many Saint's Days observed by the Catholic Church. It was dedicated to the patron saint of romantic causes, St. Valentine.
Although it was removed from the Church's calendar in 1969, the religious meaning coupled with Valentine's Day's roots in Roman paganism have allowed it to continue as a holiday for everyone.
Early Christians saw Valentine's Day as a way to honor St. Valentine, of whom there were actually three. The Catholic Church recognizes three saints by that name, all who were martyred on February 14.
The St. Valentine the day is named for was, most likely, a priest in the 3rd century who performed secret marriages when the Roman Emperor Claudius II thought single soldiers were more likely to enlist in the army. That St. Valentine was imprisoned and executed on February 4, 270. It is believed he sent the jailer's daughter a note saying, "From your Valentine." The phrase is still widely used on valentines today.
In 496 A.D., February 14, was declared in the name of St. Valentine by Pope Gelasius. It remained a Church holiday until 1969, when Pope Paul VI took it from the calender.
On February 14, the ancient Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage so honoring her was thought to be a fertility rite.
At the feast held the next day, the women would write love letters and stick them in a large urn. The men would pick a letter from the urn and for the next year, pursue the woman who wrote the chosen letter. This custom lasted until the 1700s when people decided their beloveds should be chosen by sight, not luck.
How did flowers and lace join Valentine's Day?
Most of the items linked to Valentine's Day came from old-fashioned customs that used lace handkerchiefs and floral bouquets to pass on non-verbal messages.
When the custom went out of style for everyday use, the original meaning was lost and eventually they became part of the Valentine's Day tradition.
Giving flowers dates back to the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of "the language of flowers" to Europe. Books about the meanings of particular flowers were published, and entire conversations could be carried out using only a bouquet of flowers.
The rose has become the traditional Valentine's Day flower. As it has always been a popular flower, the meaning of the red rose is still well known as the flower of passion and love. The red rose is also the favorite flower of Venus, the goddess of love, which helped give the rose its symbolic meaning.
Lace
Centuries ago, a woman would drop her handkerchief in front of the man she liked. This was a form of encouragement to him, and if he picked it up for her an introduction could be made. Lace has always been part of women's handkerchiefs, and it has since been linked to romance.
Cupid
He is the winged child whose arrows are shot into the hearts of potential lovers. His victims are supposed to fall deeply in love with someone. In both Greek and Roman mythology Cupid is the son of the goddess of love and is always part of celebration of love and lovers.
The heart
The heart is linked to Valentine's Day because it was once considered the source of all human emotions. The custom of drawing a heart shape is believed to come from early attempts to draw an organ no one had ever seen. The symbol progressed to become known as a sign of love.
Why does an X mean a kiss?
In the Middle Ages, a lot of people couldn't read or write. When they had to sign a document, they would make an X in place of their name. In front of witnesses the signer would kiss the X to show themselves trustworthy. The kiss has since come to be represented by an X.
It's for the birds:
Lovebirds are often part of Valentine's Day. Found in Africa, these brightly colored birds sit very close together with their mates, earning them their name.
Doves are also part of the tradition. They are symbols of love and loyalty because they mate for life. A pair of doves will also share the care of all their babies.
Love knots
A love knot is a symbol of everlasting love, because its winding loops have no beginnings or ends. In times past, they were made of ribbon or drawn on paper to prove ones undying love.
Did you know?
- Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.
- One of the earliest Valentine's Day gifts were candies. The most common were chocolates in heart shaped boxes.
- Mostly men buy the millions of boxes of candy and the millions of bouquets of flowers produced for each Valentine's Day.
How did Valentine's Day cards begin?
Believing that birds began to mate on February 14, people in the Middle Ages started the card tradition by sending love letters on that day.
In the 15th century, singing and spoken valentines were slowly replaced by written letters in Europe. The first written valentine is credited to Charles, the Duke of Orleans, who wrote love poems to his wife while he was in prison in 1415. By the beginning of the 16th century, valentines were almost always written.
Early valentines were hand made on colored paper. Often they were tinted with water colors and inks. Other types of valentines found during this era were:
- Acrostic - the first line of the verses spelled out the recipient's name
- Cutout - the paper was folded and cut into a lace-like design using small, pointed scissors.
- Pinprick - using a pin or needle, tiny holes were punched in the paper to make it look like lace.
- Theorem or Poonah - a stencil was used to help paint on designs that stood for words. For example, the word foot would be replaced by a picture of a foot.
- Puzzle Purse - the paper was a folded puzzle with verses written in the folds. Each verse must be read in a specific order and the puzzle refolded correctly.
- Fraktur - the letters were written in a decorative style to imitate the illuminated manuscripts used in the Middle Ages.
The 1800s saw valentines made by factory workers. Black and white pictures were painted by the workers in the early part of the century. By the end of the 1800s, the cards were made by machines. These cards were elaborately decorated with gold leaf, satin, lace and flowers.
In 1840, the first mass produced valentine's cards where made in America. Esther Howland, who sold $5,000 worth of the cards in her first year, created them.
Did You Know?
- In the United States over 1 billion valentine cards are sent each year.
- Valentine's Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia.
- Parents get 1 out of every 5 valentines.
- Women buy 85% of all valentines.
