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Valentine’s Day is the holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. It may have had beginnings in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated the coming of spring and included fertility rites and other activities, but the origin of the holiday is vague at best. Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, [1] is celebrated annually on February 14. [2] It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine , and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled. What are the historical origins and meaning of Valentine's Day? Get the facts. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration First, a quick refresher: Valentine's Day always falls on February 14, but the day of the week varies by year. In 2025, Valentine's Day will be on a Friday for the first time since 2020. In 2025, Valentine's Day will be on a Friday for the first time since 2020. The history of Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Roman and Christian traditions, evolving over centuries into the celebration of love and affection that we recognize today. Despite its commercialization, many people view Valentine's Day as an opportunity to express their love and appreciation for their partners, friends, and family members. Pagan Origins (Alternatively, for the parents among us, it might be crafting your child’s Valentine’s Day box for school that first springs to mind.) No matter your way in, you may be curious to know that the origin and real history of Valentine’s Day is a bit more complicated than Cupid’s arrows and candy hearts—and it wasn’t exactly always the The explosion of love continued in the 19th century with the creation of the first heart-shaped box of chocolates—a quintessential symbol of Valentine's Day—at the hands of Richard Cadbury. To make things even sweeter, the New England Confectionery Company (Necco) started to produce the earliest version of Conversation Hearts , which are Cadbury’s heart-shaped boxes of chocolates appeared in the 1860s, Hershey’s Kisses in 1907, and Hallmark Valentine’s Day cards in 1913 — all of which have remained Valentine’s Day The first Valentine's Day card dates to 1415 when the Duke of Orléans sent a card to his wife while he was he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. In the United States, Valentine’s Day cards While the commercialization of Valentine’s Day has been criticized for overshadowing the holiday’s original meaning, it has also made it more accessible to a wider audience. The proliferation of Valentine’s Day cards, gifts, and merchandise allows people from different cultures and backgrounds to participate in the celebration of love. Valentine's Day, the annual celebration of love, is a day steeped in both history and tradition. Yet, like the best love stories, its origins are a little mysterious, a bit quirky and undeniably What is the real meaning of Valentine's Day? Learn about the holiday's origins, history, traditions and why we celebrate in the first place. The first St. Valentine was a rebel, defying a Valentine’s Day has become a global holiday, with different countries adding their own unique customs and traditions. Here are some notable examples of how the day is celebrated around the world: United States and Europe: Valentine’s Day in Western countries revolves around the exchange of cards, flowers, and gifts. Romantic dinners and Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and the United States, although it’s most common in the U.K. and the U.S. Americans likely began Valentine’s Day Customs Around the World While Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated, different cultures have their own unique traditions for expressing love. 1. United States & Western Countries In countries like the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia, Valentine’s Day is marked by romantic dinners, gift exchanges, and love notes. The first known Valentine’s Day card was sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in the early 15th century. However, the tradition of exchanging cards became more widespread in the 18th century. The first written connection between love and Valentine’s Day appears in his poem, Parlement of Foules, written in the late 14th century. Chaucer appears to have invented the correlation that Valentine’s Day equals love and chalked it up to poetic license. The history of Valentine’s Day is a bit blurry, but it’s also possible that he At the end of the day, Valentine's Day stands as a far gentler event than the ancient Lupercalia. We see it through the lens of heart emojis and carefully curated dates. But the essence remains. We seek love, belonging, and renewal. We come together in big or small ways to affirm that life carries hope.
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