Why We Celebrate Valentine's Day and Its History

No matter how you talk about Valentine's Day, you can be sure that it has a long history. Valentine's Day's origins are significantly less romantic, even though it is now linked with kissing, giving Valentine gifts, and hard-to-acquire dinner reservations. This Valentine's Day history, which features a saint, a carnage, and even some evil nuns (seriously! ),might not be work as a romantic comedy.

While Valentine's Day is frequently associated with love, its origins are not particularly passionate. Here are a few historically significant Valentine's Day facts that you should be aware of, along with the next holiday dates, so you can start making plans.

When does Valentine's Day fall?

Let's review first: February 14 marks Valentine's Day every year. Valentine's Day 2022 also fell on a Monday, as it did in 2023 on February 14. Valentine's Day in 2024 falls on February 14 (for those intending to make elaborate plans).

Since Pope Gelasius proclaimed February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day at the end of the fifth century, the day has been a reason for celebration, albeit one that was typically more religious than amorous. 

How was Valentine's Day put in place?

According to some historians, the fact that Valentine's Day is a set day on the calendar and was combined with the Lupercalia celebration, which was celebrated in the middle of February on the old Roman calendar, is what gave rise to the holiday's focus on love. The fertility festival of Lupercalia may have included a ceremony in which men and women were matched by selecting names from a jar. People in ancient Greece celebrated the union of the gods, Zeus, and Hera, in the middle of winter.

The reason that Valentine's Day is observed on February 14

Early Christians generally chose to observe holidays on dates that fell close to other festivals and celebrations (such as Christmas and the winter solstice). Therefore they chose February 14 for Valentine's Day and February 15 for Lupercalia.

What is the purpose of Valentine's Day?

Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, a period of courtly love in which poems, music, and paintings made grand, poetic confessions of the devotion of a couple's relationship. A book in English named The Young Man's Valentine Writer was published in the 18th century, and poetry and music used the term "valentine" for the first time to refer to a lover at that time. Valentine's Day as we know it now first emerged in the middle of the 19th century with the development of mass-produced paper Valentine's Cards.

The truth about Valentine's Day's past is that tragedies still happen on this day of romance. On February 14, 1929, a group led by Al Capone killed seven men in Chicago during Prohibition. The Valentine's Day Massacre was a turning point in the history of Prohibition as law enforcement officers and legislators began to target the gangs and mobs that had grown up in cities to regulate then-illegal substances like alcohol.

How is Galentine's Day connected to Valentine's Day? What is it?

Galentine's Day, a fresh (and enjoyable!) spin on Valentine's Day, appears to have been made popular by Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation, played by Amy Poehler. It's a day to honour the friends you cherish. The holiday is observed on February 13 (providing you with plenty of time to honour your partner on official Valentine's Day the following day). Gifts for Galentine's Day have evolved into a lovely way to honour the people who matter a lot to you.

Valentine's Day is not a holiday

Although Valentine's Day is widely observed in various ways, it is no longer a recognised Catholic holiday. Unfortunately for all the romantics, it is also not a recognised bank holiday or day off from work.

What does Valentine's Day symbolise?

Over the years, Valentine's Day has served as an old ritual day, a religious feast, and a commercial event (and millennia). Valentine's Day can now mean anything to you as a result of all these changes: You can choose to completely skip the celebrations, reward yourself with some chocolate or flowers, or express your gratitude and love for the persons in your life, whether they're work colleagues, romantic partners, friends, or family.

Also Read: Some Interesting Facts About Valentine's Day That You Should Know