The History of Valentines Day
The History of Valentines Day
Piper Bauer
The holiday of love, Valentine's Day, was created centuries and centuries ago, but is Valentine’s Day still a holiday to celebrate love, or has it become pure consumerism? Many have conflicting opinions on how they perceive the holiday; either a day of love to look forward to, or a commercial holiday reduced to a transaction.
Valentine’s Day was created originally through ancient Roman and early Christian traditions. These traditions surrounded fertility,
where a festival called Lupercalia was held during the middle of February. Around the 14th century it evolved to celebrate love, most likely stemming from the poem “Parlement of Foules” by Geoffrey Chaucer. This poem associated the day with love, birds, and courting-an older term of pursuing a long-term relationship. Another origin of the holiday comes from the story of Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who performed secret weddings for young lovers against the emperor’s orders. Later, he was imprisoned and executed for this defiance, only to become a symbol of love and commitment. In the 19th century cards, and gifts were exchanged as the industrial production of valentines advanced; the start of a commercial holiday.
If you walk into any store mid-January, you’ll see a collage of pink and red plastic littering the aisles. The expected income from Valentine’s Day this year is around 27.5 billion dollars. In a relationship you’re expected to participate in buying flowers, candy, jewelry, and more. Some people see this as an expression of love and care, a chance to express love not just through gift giving, but also quality time and other love languages. Many others criticize the holiday for its focus on manufactured goods.
One positive change in how we celebrate Valentine’s Day is that it’s no longer just for couples. Nowadays, it’s frequently celebrated with friends, a chance to socialize with a more platonic love. A popular, more recent trend is “Galentine’s Day,” which originated from the TV show, Parks and Recreation. This version is a chance to appreciate your important friendships, and show your friends how much you care and love them. In the end, friendships can be your most supporting and enduring relationships.
Overall, the holiday gives people a chance to focus on their love and values, whether they participate in the purchasing aspect or not. Valentine’s Day has evolved through the centuries, but the holiday doesn’t have to be represented by a price tag, and has always been rooted in love and positive emotions. All around the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in a variety of ways, but everyone is celebrating love.