Origins of Valentine’s Day

The true history of Valentine’s Day is unknown due to the many conflicting myths and legends associated with the day, but it’s safe to say there was more than one saint named Valentine accredited with inspiring the holiday. One version says Pope Gelasius I (492 – 496) named February 14th Valentine’s Day to honor a holy man named Valentine who was put into prison because he would not renounce his Christian faith. Folklore says this devout and gentle man had a reputation of being especially kind to the children in the neighborhood.

Once he was in jail, the children missed him so much they wrote messages to him expressing their love and affection and decorated their notes with pretty drawings. Legend says they tossed their messages of love through the bars of Valentine’s cell. It is believed that these messages of love to the holy man were the original Valentines. Valentine was put to death on February 14, 269 A.D because he would not abandon his faith. Some historians believe Valentine’s Day is celebrated in his honor because of his love for children and his religion.

Another version of how Valentine’s Day became a holiday is that Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he believed single men were better soldiers than married men. A priest named Valentine disagreed with Claudius. He disobeyed the Emperor’s edict and secretly married the young soldiers to their lovers. When he was spied performing marriages, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. Because he defied the Emperor and married young lovers, some say the day is named after him.

Skip forward to the 1800s, and Valentine’s Day became extraordinarily popular. It grew from a holy day honoring an obscure saint to a very romantic holiday. Both men and women fashioned beautiful Valentine cards out of lace, ribbons, dried flowers and silky papers and gave them to their romantic loved ones. Sometimes they would be too shy to reveal their names, so they’d sign the Valentine card, “from your secret admirer.

Valentine’s Day nowadays

Today, it’s no secret that Valentine’s Day is a holiday for everyone to enjoy. We celebrate the day by giving our loved ones gifts, candy, flowers and Valentine cards. One present your loved one is sure to appreciate is one of our Gift cards for the occasion.