The History of Valentine's Day
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day? Some cynical celebrants might believe that it's nothing more than a conspiracy by florists and greeting card companies to come up with another holiday for spending money on gifts, cards, and flowers. However, there's more to it than that. In fact, there's a patron saint who watches over the holiday.
Ancient History
Many historians believe the origins of Valentine's Day, like so many other modern customs lie in the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. In fact, some people believe the original Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome. Others believe he helped Christian prisoners escape Roman prisons. There is even a legend this Valentine sent the first "Valentine" to a woman he loved before he died in prison. There is a Saint Valentine who is honored each year for his martyrdom to Christianity. Whether he wrote a love letter and died on February 14 may never be known. However, all those stories add up to myth and legend.
The Middle Ages
By the Middle Ages, this long-ago priest had become a saint – actually the patron saint of lovers. His life was celebrated on February 14 each year, when letters and declarations of love were sent and shared. This date was chosen by Christians who wanted to do away with pagan ceremonies that were popular around the same time of year. Sometimes, bouquets of flowers were part of the celebration.
Modern Valentine's Day
The first modern commercial greeting cards were sent in the 1800s in America, but the British had been celebrating Valentines Day since the 17th century. In fact, by the 18th century, friends and lovers commonly exchanged small symbols of their friendship and affection by writing notes, letters, or even poems. When commercial printing became more common, more printed greeting cards began to appear.
While you might think more greeting cards go into mailboxes during Christmas, it's actually Valentine's Day that holds the record. Over 1 billion Valentine's Day cards hit the Post Office every year, while only 2.6 million Christmas cards fill mailboxes. Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated in several countries around the world, including Canada, Mexico, France, and Australia.
Whatever you think of Valentine's Day, now you know it has a long, romantic tradition stretching all the way back to Roman times! Saint Valentine may have lived, and he may just be a legend, but whoever he was, the legacy he left lovers lives on today.
