Valentine’s Day is best known as a celebration of love in all its forms. Pink hearts, red roses and cute greeting cards are everywhere in view. What many people may not realize is that modern Valentine’s Day celebration originated from a religious holiday.
St. Valentine’s Day was originally celebrated as a religious feast day in honour of early Christian Martyrs. Three Martyrs named Valentine were honoured: a priest in Rome, the persecuted bishop of Interamna (a town in central Italy), and a Saint martyred in Africa. This Saint’s Day was celebrated throughout Christendom, although it was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969.
The origin of Valentine’s Day as a holiday began with Geoffrey Chauicer in his 1382 poem “Parlement of Foules.” Chaucer wrote, “For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day when every bird cometh there to choose his mate,” and the modern romantic holiday was born.
Valentine’s Day and we know it came about in the early 19th century. In Victorian England, printers began manufacturing small numbers of cards with romantic verses, lace, ribbons and other frills. Anonymous Valentine’s y card was a popular way for young lovers to exchange romantic sentiments in an otherwise prudish time. As the 19th century progressed, printers began mass manufacturing Valentine’s Day cards. As estimated, one billion cards are purchased around the world every year! With the rise of the internet, Valentine’s Day e-cards have become a popular way of communication, with millions of e-cards sent every year.
Other items associated with Valentine’s Day include chocolate and flowers. The tradition of giving chocolates has been around for decades and Richard Cadbury created the first box of Valentine’s Day chocolates nearly 150 years ago. Today, purchases of chocolate total over 35 million heart-shaped boxes each year. Loved ones also exchange flowers, with red roses being associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. On Valentine’s Day itself, florists sell nearly 200 stems of roses.
Although many people dismiss Valentine’s Day as a commercialized “Hallmark holiday”, it is beloved to couples and romantics across Canada and other countries. The team at Milton Orthodontics would like to remind all their patients that no matter what your celebratory plans are, February 14th can be a wonderful day to celebrate the loved ones in your life. Happy Valentine’s Day!
