Origins of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated all over the U.S. and many other countries as a way to express love to those who are close to you. People exchange gifts and meaningful letters on behalf of St. Valentine.
Long before the establishment of Valentine’s Day, people acknowledged February as a month of love where ancient Christian and Roman traditions were carried out. But who is St. Valentine, and how did he get linked with these ancient traditions? According to the Catholic Church, there were three priests named Valentine who were all martyred in the third century A.D. A Catholic Church legend states that one of these priests named Valentine lived in Rome at a time when Emperor Claudius II Gothicus outlawed marriage for young men for they were better off as soldiers. Valentine, who recognized the inequity in this decree, disobeyed the emperor’s orders and married couples in secret. The emperor eventually found out about Valentine’s actions and ordered for his execution.
Other stories suggest Valentine could have possibly been killed for helping Christians escape cruel Roman prisons, where they were frequently beaten and tortured. There is an ancient legend that says when Valentine was imprisoned, he sent the first “valentine” to a girl he fell in love with, who often visited him in jail. Before Valentine’s death, there were rumors that he wrote a letter to his love signed “From your Valentine,” a statement that is still used today. Although there is doubt over which stories are true about St. Valentine, all of these stories depict him as a romantic figure, so by the Middle Ages he gained popularity throughout all of France and England. His popularity eventually led to February 14 being a day to celebrate love, known as Valentine’s Day.
Modern Traditions
Modern Valentine’s Day traditions reflect the beliefs of people today. Many people celebrate Valentine’s Week as a way to dedicate each day to a different expression of love. Others celebrate Galentine’s Day as a way to honor female friendships over romantic relationships. Valentine’s Day traditions include gifting flowers, sweets or other meaningful things as romantic keepsakes. Some people celebrate their love through a thoughtful dinner or spending the day with each other. All of these traditions serve as universal expressions of love or affection, proving that heartfelt gestures are timeless and never go out of style.
Traditions Of The World
People celebrate Valentine’s Day differently all over the world. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is a day for women to give chocolates to the men in their lives. This practice is known as giri-choco and is directed to male co-workers or friends over romantic partners. A month later, on March 14 (known as White Day), men return the favor by giving white chocolate to the women who gave them chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
Similar to Japan, Valentine’s day in South Korea is a day for women to give gifts to men, but it is also a day for couples to celebrate their love for one another. In South Korea, April 14 is known as Black Day where single people get together to eat jajangmyeon (black bean paste noodles) and together, they lament about their single status.
In Italy, Valentine’s Day is known as La Festa Degli Innamorati. It is a romantic holiday that is celebrated similarly to how it is celebrated in the U.S. Couples give each other gifts and go on dates. But in Italy, there is also the tradition of giving baci perugina, or Perugina chocolates, which have romantic phrases or expressions written on the wrappers.
In Finland, Valentine’s Day is known as Ystävänpäivä, which means “Friend’s Day”. It is a day for celebrating all types of love, not just romantic love. Friends, family and loved ones exchange gifts and cards to display their appreciation for each other.