Already? Well, I suppose that it is only less than a month away, but I could not believe my eyes when I saw the candies wrapped in pink and red tinfoil, the chocolate hearts, and the stuffed bears in the windows a few weeks ago. I feel like a few “blinks” ago those decorations were wreaths, nutcrackers, candy canes, and lights. Perhaps I just do not go shopping enough to watch the smooth transitions, who knows?
In any matter, to many people, Valentine’s Day has become what is known as a “Hallmark” holiday. Some people say that it is a holiday designed to give card companies business and a time for non-single people to show off the fact that they have someone by their side. Well, it is not just about that “stuff”.
Candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between people–all in the name of St. Valentine. Who is this being? Well, the history of Valentine’s Day is a mystery. The day itself contains traces of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. One legend is that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During the time of war, Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he made it illegal for men to marry women. Valentine was against this and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. Eventually the Emperor found out about this, and Valentine was sentenced to death.
Another legend was that Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting. It is rumored that, while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who frequently visited him. The story goes that before he was about to be killed, he left a note for her. This note was signed with “From your Valentine.”
All of the stories lead to Valentine being a romantic person–one who was adored. In fact, by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. Though it is unclear as to what really happened, we can assume that the date of Valentine’s day is derived from anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial.
