A month has passed in the blink of an eye… and we are fast approaching that day… the day that girls want flowers, and boys want gadgets or games… The day where some little naked crazy cherub flys around flinging arrows at people… you got it… Valentine’s Day. Most of us know that it is a day for heart shaped boxes and sugary treats, but how many of you know the day’s history?

Valentine’s day traditions began where many of our traditions stem from… The Roman Empire.  The 14th of February was a day to honour Juno, the Queen of the Roman Goddesses and Gods.  The day after was the feast of Lupercalia – a festival intended to ensure fertility in the coming year.  One of the custom’s of the festival was name drawing.

 ”On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl’s name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.”

(Side Note: Later on, when Christianty became common, the names of maidens were switched to names of saints and the papers drawn would determine one’s patron saint for that year)

This much is known for certain.  After this however, things start to get a little muddled… It is said that Emperor Claudius II who was coined “Claudius the Cruel” for his infamous brutal campaigns, was having a hard time getting soldiers to join his army.  He believed that it was because the soldiers did not want to leave their wives, and families, so he prohibited young men to marry.  (In fact some sources indicate that he actually cancelled all engagements and weddings at that time.) And THIS is where Saint Valentine comes in…

 Valentine, a priest, continued to perform marriage ceremonies, despite the order from Claudius.  Of course, Claudius was not fond of this and eventually Valentine was apprehended by the Romans and was beheaded. An Interesting thing is, Valentine was not known for passionate love, (eros) which is what most of us think about with pink hearts all over the place around this time of year.   Valentine was known for his devotion to God and christian love. (agape) Somehow, this turned into cupid and arrows, and boxes of candy and chocolate over the years… turning “Valentine’s Day” into a booming commercial success.

Valentine’s Day Facts:

“California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the vast number sold on Valentine’s Day in the United States are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period. ”

 ”Cupid, another symbol of Valentines Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards holding a bow and arrows because he is believed to use magical arrows to inspire feelings of love. ”

“Hallmark has over 1330 different cards specifically for Valentine’s Day. ”

 ”The heart is the most common symbol of romantic love. Ancient cultures believed the human soul lived in the heart. Others thought it to be the source of emotion and intelligence. Some believed the heart embodied a man’s truth, strength and nobility. The heart may be associated with love because the ancient Greeks believed it was the target of Eros, known as Cupid to the Romans. Anyone shot in the heart by one of Cupid’s arrows would fall hopelessly in love. Because the heart is so closely linked to love, it’s red colour is thought to be the most romantic. ”

“About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. That’s the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas. ”

Happy Heart Day!