Mysterious Beginnings Add to Allure of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated amongst couples. Some may argue that you should let your sweetheart know how much you love them on a regular basis, while others appreciate the excuse to send their special someone flowers and chocolates to their hearts content. Gifts celebrating the day range from packaged valentine’s commonly found in elementary school classrooms to bouquets of roses and jewelry.

Unfortunately, the history of Valentine’s Day and its patron saint are shrouded in mystery. It is widely thought that the day celebrates both Christian and Roman tradition, though there is no agreed upon cause or founder of the holiday.

One claim is that Saint Valentine sent the first valentine himself. While in prison, it is believed that he fell in love with a young woman, perhaps his jailer’s daughter. He wrote her letters and signed them, “From, your Valentine”, a phrase that is still popular today.

According to National Geographic, another legend contends that Saint Valentine was a local hero of sorts. When Emperor Claudius II decided that men with out families made better soldiers, he forbid young men to marry.A bishop named Valentine ignored the decree, marrying young lovers in secret and defying Claudius. When his actions were discovered and around 270 A.D., Valentine was sentenced to jail. It is believed by many that Claudius tried to convert Valentine to worship Roman gods and Valentine in turn tried to convert Claudius. As neither party was converting, Valentine was ordered to death.

Others believe that Valentine may have been put to death for rescuing Christians from Roman prisons where they were often tortured and beaten.

Though the history of Valentine is unclear, Valentine’s Day is ever popular among lovers and florists. The oldest recorded valentines date back to 1415.

Many believe the holiday started as a wild Roman festival where men stripped naked and used goat or dog skin whips to spank maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility. The festival was held on February 15th and the pagan celebration was held until the 5th century A.D., about 150 years after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Because it was so wildly popular, the Christian rulers of the time may have decided to alter some of the more “non-Christian” practices of the festival, morphing the holiday into a tamer version.

According to CNN, Americans spent more than $17 billion for Valentine’s Day in 2008. The National Retail Federation says 48% of people will purchase candy, 36% will buy flowers, and 17% plan to give their special someone a piece of jewelry. Men typically outspend women on Valentine’s day, spending an average of $163.37 in 2008 and women spent just under $85.

There’s something for just about everyone to celebrate during this sugary holiday. Many people send valentine’s to friends and families in addition to their significant other. Even pets can get involved with cards, dog and cat treats and special Valentine’s themed clothes.

There are plenty of activities going on near Rancho Cordova this year to make this Valentine’s Day a memorable one. The Folsom Cordova Community Partnership is throwing their annual Sweetheart Ball. If you’d like a little time away from home, consider staying at the Marriott and enjoying their Valentine’s Day specials.

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Posted by Michelle Ventress on Feb 9 2010. Filed under Viewpoints. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.