Occasions & Holidays

The History of Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2017

While the exact origin of Valentine’s Day has remained a mystery, there have been many legends revolving around the history of the romantic day. It has been said that the Christian church declared St. Valentine’s Day in mid-February in order to Christianize the celebration of Lupercalia. This ancient Roman festival is known as a celebration of fertility.

Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day in order to honor St. Valentine. Now you may be wondering who exactly St Valentine was, but that information is unclear as there were three Saints named Valentine at the time. One legend that is widely believed follows St. Valentine of Rome. He was known for marrying young couples against King Claudius II wishes. King Claudius II had banned marriage among young Roman men, with the belief that unmarried men were better soldiers. After being discovered, St. Valentine was put to death for his actions on orders from the King.

St. Valentine’s Day was not associated with love until the 1300’s. By the 17th century, the exchange of Valentine’s Day cards became commonplace in Great Britain. People in the U.S. began celebrating Valentine’s Day with the exchange of cards and gifts shortly after.

Today, Valentine’s Day has become one of the most important days to show your love to that special person. It is celebrated world-wide with traditional gifts such as; candy, flowers, and romantic dinners. However, people looking to differentiate their signs of affection are turning to personalized items such as chocolates, wall-art, jewelry, and wine glasses. It is the personal touch and the thought put into a personalized gift that make these gifts unique and guaranteed to put a smile on your Valentine’s face.