Since this blog is supposed to be about
history, why not talk about the history of this very day we celebrate the love
in the air every February 14th. The days when we were little and in elementary
school and had to pick out the coolest valentines we could find to share with
our classmates, and decorate our valentines box to collect all of our cards,
enjoying all the snack and fun with our valentine party. That's when Valentine
’s Day was the best, then you get older and it can either be a day you love or
hate depending on your current relationship status. I personally believe that
you shouldn't just shower your loved ones JUST on one specific day but do it every
day.
Who is this St. Valentine?
The Catholic Church
recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus. One
legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century
in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers
than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men.
Valentine, realizing the injustice he went behind Claudius' back continued
to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were
discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest
that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape
harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. Legend has it an imprisoned Valentine befriended a prison
guard’s daughter and left her a note signed, “From your Valentine.”
Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in
the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther Howland began selling the first mass
produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the
Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful
pictures known as scrap.
With that being said I hope you all had a wonderful valentine’s
day and it isn't just for the people with significant others it’s a day
to celebrate the people around you, who love and make you happy.
Also don't just do it one day a year, show them you appreciate them every day.
<3 <3
I have to admit, I'm a Valentine's Day cynic so when you mentioned that we should demonstrate our love to our loved ones year round, not just on a greeting card day, I let out an audible "exactly right!" For me, Valentine's Day has become nothing but a commercial rip off where flower & grocery stores jack up the price on roses. It's cynical and excessive and predatory. So I prefer to make my sweetie a nice dinner and buy flowers AFTER the day.
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