How did our current Valentine’s Day celebration come about? As with many of our favorite holidays, there are dark and murky tales surrounding its origins.
Not-so-lovely beginnings
One school of thought is that the Valentine’s Day holiday originated with the Roman fest of Lupercalia, held February 13 – 15, which included fertility rites.
Another possible explanation is that Roman Emperor Claudius II executed two men, both named Valentine, on February 14th back in
different years during the 3rd century. The martyred men were recognized by the Catholic Church with sainthood and thus the recognition of St. Valentine’s Day.
Yet another interpretation says that a jailed priest named Valentine was in love with his jailor’s daughter, and sent her a letter before he was beheaded. The Feast of Saint Valentine was recognized by Pope Gelasius in 496 A.D.
Through the years, Valentine’s Day evolved into a celebration
of love. The first mention of this is in Chaucer’s late 14th century poem, “The Parliament of Fowls.” Shakespeare mentions St. Valentine’s Day in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream and Hamlet.
Heartfelt cards
While Valentine’s Day cards were previously imported from Europe, in the mid1800’s, Esther Howland of Worcester, MA started designing and selling Valentines domestically, and is credited with starting the Valentine’s Day card industry in the United States.
By the late 1800s, cards were mass-produced, and by 1916, Hallmark began producing them. According to the Greeting Card
Association, with nearly 150 million Valentine’s cards sent each year — not including kids’ classroom cards—it’s the second largest card-giving occasion, Christmas ranking number one.
Cupid
Perhaps you are familiar with Sam Cooke’s 1961 hit, “Cupid,” which begins:
“Cupid, draw back your bow And let your arrow go Straight to my lover’s heart for me…”
Bows, arrows, and a flying cherub, how did they become symbols of Valentine’s Day?
Cupid is known as the god of affection. In Greek mythology,
he was known as Eros, the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. In Roman mythology, he was the son of her counterpart, Venus, but in a chubby- cheeked, child-like form.
While our Valentine depiction of him is shooting arrows to pierce the heart and make someone fall in love, legend has it he might carry two arrows, one golden arrow with a sharp tip to make people
fall in love, the other a blunt lead arrow to make someone fall out of love. Ouch!
Those sweet Valentine’s Day treats
Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, or pink and red M&Ms, are among the most popular candies to give and get for Valentine’s Day, but what about those little candy hearts or conversation hearts, as
they’re known?
Their story dates back to 1847, to Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase’s candy machine invention that rolled lozenge dough into wafers, ultimately known as Necco wafers (an acronym for the New England Confectionary Company).
Supposedly inspired by the growing market for Valentines, in 1866, his brother, using vegetable dye, found a way to print words on candy. The iconic little heart shapes weren’t made until 1902, however.
Wishing you a sweet Valentine’s Day!