Valentine’s Day is a widely known and celebrated holiday here in the United States. Whether you have someone to celebrate with, or you celebrate alone, most people do something on February 14. What most people may not know is how the holiday came to be or how some of the traditions we still celebrate today became popular. Maybe they have some surface knowledge, such as it being named after a saint, but there is much more to it than that.
The roots of the holiday came from a pagan holiday Lupercalia. This festival was to promote fertility, and people would make sacrifices and feast during their celebrations. It stuck around after Christianity became popular for around 150 years until the Pop outlawed it. The catholic church later declared the 14th a day of feasts to celebrate Saint Valentine. Where Saint Valentine came from and who they were is complicated, to say the least. There are over 30 saints who went by Saint Valentine, but only two are the most likely. They are so similar, in fact, it is argued whether or not they were the same person. Neither dealt with matters of the heart but both died on February 14 (NGS). One of the most known myths comes from one Saint Valentine who was imprisoned. It is said a female guard took pity on him and he wrote a note saying “From your valentine” This story has been proven fake, but its effect on society is very real (UNLV ). Valentine’s Day picked up popularity during the Revolutionary War in 1900, giving way to mass-produced cards (NGS).
Valentine’s Day caught the attention of businesses all over as another way to make money. The possibilities were endless. One way was the printing press that took the holiday to the next level with intricate cards for people to buy for that special person in their life. Of course, if you have ever tried to buy a card before you may notice the monopoly that Hallmark has. They were founded in 1911 and still continue to make cards today (UNLV ). It is estimated that 1 billion valentines get sent every year. Not to mention the chocolate and rose sales that skyrocket around this time of year. These sales together total around 20 billion dollars annually (OU). Today many people celebrate together, but lots celebrate alone, focusing on platonic or self-love like Galentine’s Day.
While here in the U.S. and even Britain it is a commonly calibrated holiday, in places like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia it’s much less commonplace. Some reasons why they might not celebrate are their religious beliefs or the fact that some believe it spreads Western culture (NGS). Even still, 62% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s. it has now become the second biggest giving holiday besides Christmas (OU). The fact so many people go out and buy things for this holiday has caused a feeling of inauthenticity in some people, leading them to wish for the early days of the holiday believing it was more pure. However, even during the beginning, people have complained it felt too commercial to be a real expression of love (UNLV ). The commoditization of the holiday can lead to a feeling of fakeness.
From the mystery of where the name comes from to the origins of the holiday in the first place and who chooses to celebrate, there is a lot to learn about when it comes to February 14th. There is always more to know and more to look into. Whether you choose to celebrate by writing a valentine to someone you love, buying something sweet for yourself, or not at all, one cannot deny the unique and interesting history of Valentine’s day.
Works Cited
(NGS) National Geographic Society, “Valentine’s Day wasn’t always about love”
(UNLV) University of Nevada Los Vegas, “The Hidden History of Valentine’s Day”
(OU) Ottawa University, “OF LOVE AND HISTORY – THE ORIGINS OF VALENTINE’S DAY”