Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14; this year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts Howland’s contribution to the commercialization of Valentine’s Day helped establish the holiday as a significant occasion for gift-giving and expressing love. The Commercialization of Valentine’s Day. The modern celebration of Valentine’s Day as we know it today began to take shape in the 18th and 19th centuries. 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. St. Valentine, a name that is synonymous with love and romance across the globe, lived at a time when the Roman Empire was at its zenith. He is often best remembered for the act of marrying couples in secret defiance of the Roman Emperor's bans. However, the truth about St. Valentine is far more complex, woven from a mixture of historical fragments, religious tradition, and folklore. This has History and Customs of Valentine's Day - Valentine's Day, celebrated annually on February 14th, has its origins in both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. Free printable reading with questions (PDF file). 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 What part does Cupid play on Valentine's Day? Of course, it's not all about St. Valentine. Cupid — the winged baby boy often seen on Valentine's Day cards and paraphernalia — is another symbol of this love-filled holiday, and it's easy to understand why. In Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Couples exchange cards, flowers, chocolates, and tokens of affection, while others take the day to appreciate their friendships and family bonds. However, behind the gifts and romantic dinners lies a much richer history. The Valentine’s Day origin is far more complex than the commercialized holiday we know today. Valentine's Day always falls on February 14, meaning that the day of the week varies year on year. In 2025, Valentine's Day will fall on a Friday for the first time since 2020. Where did it come Cupid—that winged baby boy often seen on Valentine's Day cards and paraphernalia—is another symbol of this love-filled holiday, and it's easy to understand why. In Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Venus, goddess of love and beauty. The History of Valentine’s Day. The history of Valentine’s Day is murky at best. Most experts would agree that the myths and legends that accompany this holiday are way too many and way too similar to be true. The continually evolving nature of Valentine’s Day adds another layer of complexity, which means that finding the true origin is The Catholic Church doesn’t recognize St. Valentine’s Day on its calendar anymore, but people throughout the world still celebrate the day. CHANGING TRADITIONS. Valentine’s Day traditions have evolved a lot over the years. For example, in the Middle Ages—which lasted from the 5th to 15th centuries in Europe—people started exchanging Thank you for downloading this great Valentine’s Day freebie!!! I hope you and your students really enjoy this nonfiction reading activity. The history on Valentine’s Day is murky. I took information from several different sources and checked dates and facts. Since most of this is legend it is difficult to report with 100% accuracy. 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. These fascinating facts about Valentine's Day will put the holiday in a whole new light. 1. St. Valentine wasn't just one person. Many people know that Valentine’s Day is named after St Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival held each year in Rome on February 15. Although Valentine’s Day shares its name with a martyred Christian saint, some historians believe the holiday is Valentine's Day has quite the history. Learn about why we celebrate Valentine's Day, the meaning of the holiday, when Valentine's Day is this year, why Valentine's Day is on February 14, and more. It is also called Saint Valentine’s Day. On Valentine’s Day people greet loved ones, close friends, family members, and classmates by sending them cards called valentines. People also give candy, flowers, and other gifts to loved ones. Valentine’s Day gifts often come packed in a red, heart-shaped box. In 1913 Hallmark Cards produced their first Valentine’s card, representing a key development in the commercialisation of Valentine’s Day. Valentine cards with a golfing theme, 1911. The left card was for the US market, the right card for the British market. Howland became known as the “Mother of the American Valentine.” In 1882, she sold her company to the Whitney Company, making it the world’s largest manufacturer of Valentine’s Day cards at that time. Valentine’s Day has grown in popularity since its earliest beginnings. Today, it is one of the most popular holidays in the world.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |