Valentine’s Day is a highly anticipated (and sometimes greatly despised) holiday. V-Day includes dates with boo (or the girl gang), lots of candy and chocolates, flowers, and a flood of red and pink… we know that much. But have you ever thought about where Valentine’s Day came from? Sadly, the origins aren’t very well known, but we do know some information. Here ya go!
The thoughts about where Valentine’s Day originates is surrounded by stories of saints. One of these saints was a priest who secretly married a lover(s) after a Roman emperor banned marriage and forced men to be single. Another legend is about an imprisoned Valentine who fell in love with a young girl behind bars and sent her the first “valentine,” declaring his love for her. There are more legends out there, making the actual origins of Valentine’s Day just speculation.
Some believe that Valentine’s Day originated from a pagan holiday. Others believe it marks the first day of birds’ mating season. Whatever the exact origins, Valentine’s Day quickly became a holiday representative of love and romance that is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. By the 18th century, people commonly exchanged written notes of affection for Valentine’s Day. According to Good Housekeeping, valentines started becoming mass-produced and commercialized in the 1840s. Now, Americans spend about $19.6 billion a year for Valentine’s Day, almost $2 billion of which is spent on candy! And a quick fun fact for you, men spend more for Valentine’s Day, on average.
Valentine’s Day is celebrated differently depending on where you are. In the U.S., Valentine’s Day (not to be confused with Galentine’s Day, which is starting to become quite popular) is mainly known as a celebration of romantic love, whereas, a lot of Latin American countries focus on giving gratitude to friends rather than their romantic partner. Interestingly enough, in Japan, women are expected to give gifts. Don’t fret though, because a month later, on March 14 (“White Day”) men are expected to give gifts to the women in their lives! It all comes full circle!
So, while I don’t think I was able to teach you exactly where Valentine’s Day came from (because who really knows?), I hope you learned something new and fun about this lovey-dovey holiday. Happy Valentine’s Day!