The Origins of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is today a day of love, where individuals can exchange beautiful, funny and possibly romantic Valentines Gifts. It’s also a time when couples can spend time with one another, and perhaps even make their true feelings known for the very first time. Even in the absence of Valentine’s Day Gifts, the first flashes of true love are an amazing experience for those involved.

But what are the origins of Valentine’s Day? And have its celebrations always been about the expression of love and devotion on February 14th? Interestingly, Valentine’s Day arose, not as a romantic celebration for individuals to express feelings of love and possibly give each other Valentine’s Day Gifts, but as an event to recognise a number of early Christian martyrs known by the name of Valentine. Indeed, it has been noted that until as late as 1969, the Catholic Church actually formally accepted the existence of eleven individual and separate Valentine’s Days - although they probably didn’t include the swapping of Valentine’s Day Gifts. In case anyone believes February 14th to be a celebration of only one specific Valentine, it’s interesting to note that the day reportedly pays homage to a number of early Christian saints; in addition to Valentine of Rome, February 14th also honours Valentine of Terni. There is also a possibility that February 14th was also a day for honouring a third Christian martyr, although exact details remain unclear.

However, the celebration of Valentine’s Day in its modern sense - which may, at that time, have also included the giving and receiving of Valentines Gifts - was noted as far back as 1849 in an article printed in Graham’s American Monthly. According to the periodical, “Saint Valentine’s Day… is becoming, nay it has become, a national holyday.”

Interestingly, even though Valentine’s Day is a popular tradition that is celebrated in many different countries around the world - where individuals may also mark the occasion by swapping Valentine’s Day Gifts - other parts of the globe have different days and celebrations dedicated to honouring love. Indeed, in the Middle East, Iran uses February 17th for the celebration of love; using Iran’s Jalali calendar, the day - known as Sepandarmazgan - falls on 29 Bahman. In contrast, Saudia Arabia took the decision in 2008 to prohibit the sale of all items - presumably including Valentine’s Day Gifts - relating to the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

Conversely, while Chinese people in the current modern era do celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th - where it is reportedly traditional for men to offer the object of their affections Valentine’s Day Gifts such as chocolates and flowers - traditional Chinese culture also has its own day dedicated to love. Known as The Night of Sevens, the celebration takes place - according to the Chinese lunar calendar - during the seventh lunar month, where it falls on the seventh day. The festival is also known by a number of different names, including The Festival to Plead for Skills and the Seventh Sister’s Birthday. And while the festival is traditionally a place for the demonstration of domestic skills such as the carving of melons, it’s probably true to say that some individuals exchange things similar to what we would describe as Valentine’s Day Gifts.

In contrast, South Korea has an interesting interpretation of Valentine’s Day on both February 14th and March 14th. During what observing western countries would consider as Valentine’s Day, it is considered traditional for women to offer Valentine’s Day Gifts of chocolate to males; men reciprocate with Valentine’s Day Gifts exactly one month later, but these must be made up of confectionary that does not incorporate chocolate. Interestingly, the holiday has a particular quirk for any individuals who did not receive what we would call Valentine’s Day Gifts during either the months of February or March. Taking place on April 14th, and known as Black Day, it is customary for the unlucky singletons to eat a restaurant dinner of black noodles. Other South Korean love-related days include Rose Day, Hug Day and Wine Day.