The History of Valentine's Day

We all know that Valentine's Day rolls around every year on February 14th. On that day we typically like to do something special for the one we love. Cards are a very popular way to celebrate this day. You will see the card counters in the stores packed with people looking for that special card a couple of days before and up to and including the day of Valentine's Day. Popular gifts for this occasion are flowers and candy. My Dad used to always bring home candy for my Mother.

In the Roman Catholic religion February 14th commemorates Saint Valentine. According to my research there are actually three St. Valentines that are honored on this date. There was a priest in Rome, a Bishop of Interamna, and one who suffered martyrdom in Africa.

The actual time that people began to associate this day with romance was as far back as the middle ages. The Valentine that the legends are mainly about was a priest in Roman times during the time of Claudius II. The roman emperor ordered him to be executed on February 14th. If you do a search on the internet you will find many stories about Saint Valentine. Who knows what the truth really is.

Another Valentine's Day symbol is Cupid and his heart tipped arrow. It's seems that, if you can get Cupid the God of Love on your side than he will shoot his arrow at the one you love, who will then fall in love with you.

One infamous thing that happened on Valentine's Day was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre which occurred in Chicago in 1929. Seven men (gangsters) were lined up and shot to death. This was without a doubt one of the most shocking events to occur and highly publicized. Al Capone was believed to be behind the massacre. No one was ever charged with the crime.

As children in grade school the ritual of bringing valentines to school for all of your schoolmates has been very popular. I remember as a child getting my little valentines ready to give and signing all the cards. At the time it seemed like a never ending task. It is estimated that somewhere around a billion cards are purchased each year for Valentine's Day. That's a lot of cards to say the least. It follows behind Christmas in which there are more than two billion cards sold.

Valentine's Day is a mixture of christen and pagan lore that has been around for a very long time. To me, it's a fun way to remember the one you love and to let them know just how special they are to you. It's not necessary to spend a lot of money. In fact there are many things you can do to celebrate the day without spending any extra cash. Don't be a Valentine's Day scrooge. Do something special for your love this year. Come on make someone happy it won't hurt at all.

Sources: Wikipedia, History.com, catholic.org