Wednesday, February 12, 2003
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Wednesday, February 12, 2003 |
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The origins of Valentine's Day By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Each year on Valentine's Day it is not uncommon to hear the sentiment that the holiday was created by the greeting card companies in order to sell more cards and make more money. Those people have a point, as Valentine's Day is the second-largest card-sending holiday (Christmas is first) and over one billion cards are sent or exchanged each year. But the origins of Valentine's Day date back to Ancient Rome, and the United States is not the only country to celebrate the day. Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who secretly married couples after Emperor Claudius II declared that single men made better soldiers. Valentine's actions were discovered and he was put to death. Other stories suggest that he helped people escape from prison and was found out and put to death. It has also been suggested that while in prison awaiting death, Valentine fell in love with a young woman (some stories claim she was the jailer's daughter) and wrote her the first valentine. His romantic note ended signed "from your Valentine," which is how many valentines end today. Valentine's Day also occurs during what was once known as Lupercalia in ancient Rome. It was a spring festival, when people were cleaning house, getting ready to harvest and getting ready to make babies. Some traditions included townspeople entering their names in a lottery to be paired up with someone for the year, and women and crops being swatted at with sacrificed goat hides. Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 St. Valentine's Day and the lottery system of finding a partner was later abandoned after being deemed un-Christian (though rumor has it a television network is thinking of bringing it back). In the 1600s, valentines were exhanged in Great Britian and the pilgrims brought that tradition to America. By the 1840s, Esther A. Howland was selling the first mass-produced valentines. Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In addition to cards, lovers exchange romantic gifts including chocolate and jewelry and often go on romantic dates. As for Cupid, which is one of the most famous symbols of Valentine's Day. Cupid was said to be the son of Venus and his arrows would cause both gods and mortals to fall deeply in love. Cupid became associated with Valentine's Day because the hope with each Valentine given is that the reeiver will fall more deeply in love with the giver. Here's hoping that everyone's Valentine's Day is a special and romantic day. |
