How did Valentines Day begin?
Valentine's day is a well known and celebrated holiday by many worldwide and yet few people actually know the origins of this day.
Valentine's day is said to originate from Christian and Ancient Roman tradition. Far removed from the tradition of today, the 14th of February represented the celebration of the Pagan fertility festival known as Lupercalia. The festivities began with the sacrifice of animals and ensued with women being whipped with strips of animal skin to grant them fertility for the coming year.
It is said that in the 5th Century the Pope Gelasious I declared the 14th of February St Valentines day in order to christianise the pagan holiday, and instead celebrate the martyr named Valentine. Whilst the pagan festivity itself may be considered more brutish, the popular legend of St. Valentine's is much more reminiscent of the romantic significance we associate with it nowadays.
In the 3rd Century A.D, marriages were banned under the rule of Claudius II as he considered love to be an impediment to the efficiency of his army. Soldiers who had to abandon their families for long periods of time to fight often became home-sick and apathetic. However, the priest St. Valentine believed this imposition to be unjust to lovers, and thus proceeded to marry couples in secret. The moment the emperor found out, St. Valentine was quickly imprisoned. During this time he supposedly forged strong ties with the daughter of his prison guard and the day of his execution requested a quill and paper to write her a letter which he signed "from your Valentine," a signature still highly popularised during this celebration.
At the turn of the 18th Century, the sending of letters and cards on Valentines day had already become customary, and by the 19th Century the celebration appeared in newspapers, with merchandise centred around the theme of love becoming more prevalent. It wasn't long before firms began to attract more customers for this holiday through its commercialisation.
Just in America, 55% of people celebrate this holiday, spending on clothes, jewellery, chocolates, or a night out as an expression of love, especially couples. The National Retail Federation estimates American's spending to amount to an average of $143.56 per person, totalling $19.6 billion throughout the country.
Based on these figures it is understandable that a student believes Valentines to be "a consumer marketing ploy started by big corporations to bait individuals into purchasing," as stated by one of our IE students. However, there are still people who appreciate the holiday as "a day to express love" said another IE student.
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