You know, why we celebrate?

Valentine's Day is associated with romance, but the origin of the holiday isn't romantic. Here's the history of Valentine’s Day you may not know.

Whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it, one thing's clear: Valentine's Day history goes way back and while Valentine's Day is now known for kissing, Valentine's Day gifts for him and hard-to-get dinner reservations, the origin of the holiday are far less romantic.

What is the meaning of Valentine's Day ?

Over the years (and centuries), Valentine's day has been a religious celebration, an ancient ritual day and a commercial holiday. All that change means the meaning of Valentine's day is truly whatever you want it to be : You can skip the celebrations completely, buy yourself some chocolate or flowers or express your love and appreciation for the people in your life, whether they're co-workers, romantic partner, friends or family members. Some people love Valentine's day are a relatively new way to celebrate as women stock up on Valentine's Day ideas for her and celebrate their live for their closest friends. if you are trying to figure out what to do on Valentine's Day, just know that there are no rules : It's a new era and you can celebrate the day of love however you want, even if it's just through self-love. A nice dinner out, going to the movies, cooking a fancy meal at home or hosting a Valentine's Day party are also great ways to celebrate; whatever you do , if you have a romantic partner, just make sure you are on the same page to avoid any disappointments or hurt feelings.

When is Valentine's day?

First, a quick fresher: it falls always on 14th February. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s day and since then February 14 has been a day of celebration. Valentine’s Day 2021 is on Sunday, for those wanting to make big plane, valentine's Day 2022 will by, Monday, February 14.

How did Valentine's Day start?

Valentine's Day is a fixed day on the Calendar, the ancient Roman calendar included a mid-February holiday even before St. Valentine's time. That holiday (arguably the origin of Valentine's Day) called Lupercalia, celebrated fertility and may have included a ritual in which men and women were paired off by choosing names from a jar. In ancient Greece, people observed a mid-winter celebration for the marriage of the god Zeus and the goddess Hera. Some historians wonder if these traditions may have influenced the way we now celebrate February 14.

Who was Saint Valentine? (And what does he have to do with chocolate hearts?)

Not much, it turns out. Saint Valentine's day was a feast day in the Catholic religion, added to the liturgical calendar around 500 AD. (Thanks, Pope Gelasius!) the day was commemorated for martyred saints named - you guessed it - Valentine. Differing legends celebrate three different saints called Valentine or Valentinus, but since very little was known about these men and there were conflicting reports of the Saint Valentine Day story, the feast day was removed from the Christian liturgical calendar in 1969.

Why so we celebrate Valentine's Day ?

Chaucer moved on the middle Ages, the era of courtly love, when broad romantic statements of devotion - poems, songs, painting, celebrated partnership. By the end of 15th Century, the word "Valentine" was being used to describe a lover in poems and songs of the day, in the 18th century, a book called The Young Men's Valentine Writer was published in England. By the mid-19th century, mass-produced paper Valentine's Cards were being created and Valentine's day as we know it was born.
The truth about Valentine's Day history is that the romantic holiday isn't immune to trauma. In Prohibition Chicago in 1929, seven men were killed by a gang organized by AI Capone on February 14. The Valentine’s Day Massacre became a flashpoint in Prohibition history, with police and lawmakers going after the gangs and mobs that had formed in cities to control then illegal substances like alcohols.