What is Valentines Day – The Valentine’s Day, also called St. Valentine’s Day, that is, 14th February when lovers and friends express their affection with greetings, prizes and gifts. St Valentine’s Day is an annual festival to celebrate love, relationship, romantic love, friendship and admiration.
Every year on February 14th, people around the world celebrate this day by sending messages and gifts of love and affection to partners, soulmates, family members and friends. Couples send Valentine’s Day cards, gifts and flowers and spend special time together to honour their love, relationship and affection for each other.
What is Valentines Day?
Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day is observed and celebrated on February 14th each year. It is widely celebrated in many countries around the world, especially in the West, although it remains a working day in all of them unless this day falls on a weekend.
The original “St. Valentine” was just a liturgical celebration or an event of one or more early Christian saints named Valentine which is called in Latin -Valentinus. All the modern romantic connotations and improvements were added several centuries later by poets.
The day first became associated with love, affection and romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love and romance flourished. By the 15th century, Valentine’s day had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love, bond and relationship for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards and gifts known as “valentines”.
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In modern days and world, the Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, along with the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, hand-written valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards and gifts.
When is Valentine’s Day 2023?
2023 Valentine’s Day is on Tuesday, 14th February, 2023
When is Valentine’s Day 2024?
Valentine’s Day 2024 is on Wednesday, 14th February 2024.
History of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine’s day, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome during the 3rd Century. There are many stories about St. Valentine’s day and over time these stories grew into the legend we know today and which is very interesting.
At the time of Valentine’s life, many Romans were converting to Christianity -religion. However, the Emperor Claudius II was a pagan and created very very strict laws about what Christians were allowed to do in their lives.
Claudius believed strongly that Roman soldiers should be completely devoted to Rome and therefore passed a law preventing them from marrying. St.Valentine began to marry these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the key and was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love and romance.
Eventually, Valentine was found out and he was jailed for his crimes against Claudius. While imprisoned, Valentine cared for his fellow prisoners in the jail and his jailer’s blind daughter as well. Legend has it that Valentine cured the girl’s blindness and that his final act before being executed was to write her a love message signed ‘from your Valentine’. Valentine was executed on 14th February in the year 270.
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How did Valentine’s Day develop worldwide?
It wasn’t developed until more than 200 years later that 14th February was proclaimed St.Valentine’s Day. By this time Rome had become Christian and the -Catholic Church was determined to stamp out any remaining paganism.
A pagan fertility ritual was held in February every year and the Pope abolished this festival and pro-claimed 14 February Saint Valentine’s Day, thus establishing this feast day on the -Catholic Calendar of Saints.
The poet Chaucer in the Middle Ages was the first to link St.Valentine with bond and romantic love. This was the beginning of the tradition of courtly love and bond, a ritual of expressing love, romance and admiration, usually in secret.
This custom spread throughout Europe continental and stories grew about a High Court of Love where female judges would rule on issues related to love on 14 February each and every year.
Historians believe that these meetings or gatherings where people read love poetry and played games of flirtation and enjoy the day.
Valentine’s Day Symbols
The practice of sending love messages and gifts developed into people sending special cards expressing their affection and love. Valentine’s day cards and gifts beautiful creations hand-made by the sender and individually designed to show how much they loved and have bond with the recipient in their lives.
Cards would usually contain sentimental verse, affection, proclaiming the beauty of the receiver and how much they were loved.
St.Valentine’s Day cards were decorated and designed with creative pictures of cupid, hearts and beautiful flowers and with color lace and ribbon. These images are still used today in the Valentine’s day to symbolise love and are recognised all over the world.
What is Valentine’s Day in Contemporary Times?
While Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide in most countries, different cultures have developed their own traditions for the Valentine’s day festival. In some countries, Valentine’s Day is observed as a special day for expressing love between family members, coworkers and friends, rather than that of love and romantic couples.
Some traditions include leaving lollies, cards and gifts for children and other people include acts of appreciation between friends.
Valentine’s Day is most commonly associated with love, relationship, romantic love, with millions of St. Valentine’s Day cards being exchanged every year. Gifts of flowers or a single red rose are sent with love and romantic messages to loved ones and couples spend special time together.
Many pairs choose to celebrate St.Valentine’s Day with dinner, drink, a picnic or special home-cooked meal. Many restaurants offer Valentine’s Day dinner promotions (Valentine’s day promotions) and food is often presented with symbols of love like hearts and flowers.
Another popular Valentine’s Day activity is to indulge in a luxury hotel stay in a beautiful location in the world, allowing a couple to get away from it all and enjoy some quality and precious time together.
Marriage proposals are also popular and common on Valentine’s Day, and it is often chosen as the perfect day to express their love, bond and commitment.
Some marriage proposals are delivered very creatively and innovative such as after climbing to the top of a mountain, or posting a message on a billboard. Whatever the method is, marriage and love proposals made on Valentine’s Day are generally romantic and memorable.
FAQs on Valentine’s Day
Below are some common questions about Valentine’s day.
What is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is a holiday or special day when lovers express their affection and love with greetings and gifts. It is also called St.Valentine’s Day. The holiday has expanded to express love and affection between couples, relatives and friends.
When is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated annually on February 14.
Who is Valentine’s Day named for?
Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine. Saint Valentine’s Day may have taken its name from a -priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the -Roman emperor -Claudius II Gothicus. Other accounts and researches hold that it was St.Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible that the two saints were actually one person.
Where is Valentine’s Day celebrated?
Valentine’s Day is very popular in the United States of America as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in many other countries, including Argentina, Mexico, France, and South Korea. In the Philippines, Valentine’s day is the most common wedding anniversary.
How is Valentine’s Day Celebrated?
Valentine’s Day is very popular and commonly celebrated by exchanging handmade gifts or store-bought “Valentines” (greeting cards) or other tokens of love and affection like chocolates and flowers. In many schools and colleges, it has become customary for young students and children to bring in Valentines to swap with classmates and schoolmates. Culture and Traditions of the holiday’s observance can vary with the country.
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