Valentine’s Day is a time when people show feelings of love, affection and friendship. It is celebrated in many ways worldwide and falls on February 14 each year. Many people around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing appreciation for the people they love or adore. Some people take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant while others may choose this day to propose or get married. Many people give greeting cards, chocolates, jewelry or flowers, particularly roses, to their partners or admirers on Valentine’s Day.
It is also a time to appreciate friends in some social circles and cultures. For example, Valentine’s Day in Finland refers to “Friend’s Day,” which is more about remembering all friends rather than focusing solely on romance. What is Valentine’s Day and what are its historical beginnings? The origins of this world popular holiday can be gory at best. The holiday began as a feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third century martyr, or perhaps two. Saint Valentine was no lover or a patron of love, So how did it all become about love?
Ancient sources reveal that there were several St. Valentines who died on February 14. Two of them were executed during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus in 269 A.D. At a time when persecution of Christians was common. According to History.com, there are at least two men named Valentine that could have inspired the holiday, including one Valentine that was a priest in third century Rome. As the story goes, this Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriage ( he thought it distracted young soldiers), illegally marrying couples in the spirit of love until he was caught and sentenced to death.
Another legend suggests that Valentine was killed for attempting to help Christians escape prison in Rome, and that he actually sent the first “valentine” message himself while imprisoned, writing a letter signed “From your Valentine.”
Though some historians believe that Valentine’s Day commemorates the death of St. Valentine on February 14, others believe that the holiday actually has its origins in a Pagan fertility festival called “Lupercalia,” which was celebrated on February 15 in ancient Rome. Dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Roman founders Romulus and Remus, the day was celebrated by sacrificing animals and smacking women with animal hides, a practice that was believed to encourage fertility.
Here are 5 fascinating Valentine’s Day facts that will probably surprise you:
Cupid has its roots in Greek mythology. He’s the charming cherub that appears on Valentine’s Day cards, often depicted with a bow and arrow, but how did Cupid become a common symbol of Valentine’s Day? According to Time, the figure can actually be traced all the way back to 700 B.C., to the Greek god of love Eros, who was actually a handsome, immortal man with the intimidating power to make people fall in love. It wasn’t until the 4th century BCE that the Romans adopted Eros into the image of a cute little boy with a bow and arrow, naming him “Cupid.” By the turn of the 19th century, Cupid had become linked to Valentine’s Day due to his love matching powers.
Giving red roses may be an obvious romantic gesture today, but it wasn’t until the late 17th century that giving flowers became a popular custom. In fact, the practice can be traced back to when King Charles II of Sweden learned the “language of flowers”, which pairs different flowers with specific meanings. On a trip to Persia, and subsequently introduced the tradition to Europe. The act of giving flowers then became a popular trend during the Victorian Era, including on Valentine’s Day, with red roses symbolizing deep love.
Americans send 145 million Valentine’s Day cards each year. According to Hallmark, a whopping 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every February 14 ( and that’s not even including all those kids’ valentines exchanged in classrooms!). This makes Valentine’s Day the second biggest holiday for exchanging greeting cards, after Christmas. And how sweet: Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards annually, followed by children, mothers and wives. Needless to say, we’ve come a long way from 1013, which was when Hallmark Cards produced their first Valentine's Day card.
More than 8 billion conversation hearts are manufactured each year. And Necco has to start making them just days after February 14 to have enough in time for the next Valentine’s Day. That’s almost 100,000 pounds per day! Each box has approximately 45 sayings, including “True Love,” “Hug Me” and “You Rock.” But you can personalize your own, too. But don’t worry if you still have last year’s box, they have a shelf life of 5 years.
Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day. I mean, what better day is there for a marriage proposal than the day literally dedicated to love and romance? Valentine’s Day is one of the popular days to pop the question, with as many as 6 million couples getting engaged on February 14. And according to the results of numerous surveys, Valentine’s Day was voted the best day of the year to propose than any other day, and of those people who voted, 40% were men!
Top 5 Symbols that represent Valentine’s Day:
Red Roses.
Cupid
Chocolates
Heart
Doves and love birds
Top 5 Things to do for/with your Valentine:
Enjoy Breakfast in Bed
Plan a Movie Marathon
Cook Together
Take a Dance Lesson Together
Have an Indoor Picnic
*honorable mentions, of course take a relaxing bath together. Don’t forget the scented candles, rose petals and music.
In these Covid times, we suggest these things to do because it’s safe and sexy. If you can get a reservation to the hot and exclusive restaurant for Valentine’s Day, then kudos to you. Chances are the restaurant will be extremely busy and hectic. Stress is not an aphrodisiac, neither is Covid, so instead of taking your Valentines to a busy stressful restaurant, take our suggestions and make it an intimate sexy memorable time together. Play strip chess or any other games or perhaps cook dinner together wearing sexy lingerie and strip tease between courses. Either way have fun and may Cupid's arrow aim true and straight. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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