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St. Valentines Day History - The OriginsDo you know about the history of St. Valentines Day? Every February 14th, people across the world send greetings of love and friendship celebrating St. Valentines Day. Candy and flowers are popular gifts, expressing our love and esteem of the recipients. Schoolchildren also take part in this yearly exchange cards with heart and cupid motifs. Everyone knows this day as the romantic holiday of the year. Do you know the story behind the tradition? Who is this elusive figure known as St. Valentine? St. Valentine was a Catholic priest who lived in Rome during the 3rd century. Claudius II was the reigning Emperor of Rome at the time, and was having trouble recruiting men into his army, as they were often dispatched to far off lands, and were so separated from their wives and families. Men were reluctant, unwilling to endure this separation from their loved ones. There are certain holidays of the year that I can justify gift buying and receiving. Valentine's Day has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Why should there be one designated day of the year to show someone how much you love them? Does that mean that the other 364 days of the year you're exempt from expressing your love for someone? I think that Valentines Day is just some holiday that the candy makers and florists profit from, so we make a huge ordeal out of it. Suddenly, when February arrives, couples rack their brains over what to do for Valentine's Day. For married couples, there isn't too much of a dilemma - tradition usually prevails. But, for newly dating couples, it becomes a dramatic situation. They don't want to appear too mushy so early in a relationship, but don't want to seem unromantic. I remember being in their shoes and hating the holiday with a passion. When you've been dating for a while, it can still be dramatic as the females may start hoping for a ring for St. Valentine's Day. What a mess. Frustrated and angry, the Emperor Claudius concluded that unmarried men would have nothing to lose and therefore be more willing recruits. His solution to the problem was to decree that marriage for young men be outlawed. This did not sit well with the young men, and those in love found the humble priest St. Valentine more than willing to perform the marriage sacraments for the ardent lovers in secret. Unfortunately, Valentine was found out and arrested by Claudius. He was thrown into prison and sentenced to death. A sympathetic prison guard allowed his young daughter to visit the unfortunate St. Valentine, and it's said they became fast friends. Just before his death sentence was carried out, legend holds that Valentine presented her with a letter, signed “from your Valentine”. That simple greeting was the forerunner of today's Valentines Day. St. Valentine's Day is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year. Restaurants advertise romantic dinner specials and accept reservations. Florists hire extra delivery drivers for taking all of the flower creations to their recipients. Department stores sell lots of extra jewelry and perfume during the romantic season. Some people walk around pouting while others walk around with a happy glow surrounding them. For some people, like me, it is nothing but an annoying holiday. My husband and I got married two weeks before St. Valentine's Day, so we kind of combine the two occasions and celebrate just once. However, I don't feel that romance should be shown only once a year. It is something that should be acted upon throughout the year to show sincerity. Anybody can send flowers and candy to a loved one. That isn't showing love or romance - that's just showing that you remembered the holiday. Showing love and romance would be flowers and candy on an unexpected day during the year. The Vatican eventually declared Valentine a Saint. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius I declared the date of his death in 270 A.D., February 14th, St. Valentine's Day, a day to express sentiments of love and romance, celebrating the power of the spirit over the material world. By the Middle Ages, St. Valentines Day was one of the most popular European celebrations of the year. While imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415, Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent his wife a card on St. Valentines Day, a practice that continues to this day. My personal favorite is seeing how many penny pinchers save money by sending flowers a few days before Valentine's Day because it is cheaper. What? Don't let your loved one think that you're cheap. A coworker's husband does that every year. He sends them to her office three days before Valentine's Day claiming that he wants her to enjoy them for an entire week. Whatever. We all know he's saving money by doing it that way. All over Europe, enthusiastic lovers devised various gifts and practices to express their devotion to their lovers on Valentines Day. In Wales, wooden spoons were carved with hearts and keys to show how the recipient could unlock their heart. All over Europe, names were drawn from bowls and then pinned to their sleeves to declare their love to their chosen Valentine. Men offered gifts of clothing to their loved ones. When the woman accepted, they were then betrothed. Although these customs did not survive, this unofficial holiday is today one of the favorite holidays of the year. Today, we send cards and present candy and flowers to our loved ones. Romantic candlelight dinners are enjoyed by lovers around the world. We all have the good St. Valentine to thank for this lovely celebration. Love is indeed sublime. Celebrate St. Valentine's Day with a loved one, but make sure that they know you love them throughout the other 11 months of the year as well. St. Valentines Day History - The St. Valentine's Origins - st valentines day massacre This Article Continues here
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