The History of Valentine's Day

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Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones
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. Saint Valentine as a priest at the temple during the reign, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be jailed and put to death. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.
Some states that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity also attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. Who was then killed and died on February 14, 269 A.D., this day had been devoted to love giving.
Some says that actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter who visited him during his confinement, whom he fell in love with. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From Your Valentine" an expression that is still in use today.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial.
Others claim that the Christian church may celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping and sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. The festival begin with members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. All the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn, city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February "Valentine's Day" should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (the first was Christmas).Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

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Monday, June 22, 2009

Spending Valentine’s Day Alone







Spending Valentine’s Day Alone

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Whether you are in a committed relationship and your partner is away for the holidays or you just do not have a date on Valentine’s Day, spending this day alone can be very sad for some people. Women especially are likely to dwell on the fact that they are alone this day but some men may wish they had someone special to spend the day with as well. However, spending Valentine’s Day alone does not have to be such as sad day. This article will offer a few tips for how to have fun on Valentine’s Day even if you are alone for the day.
Those who are in long distance relationships often find themselves alone on days such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries or birthdays. If you are in this situation you likely realize there will be times when you are spending Valentine’s Day apart from your loved one. For example if you and your partner live miles away from each other because of work and only see each other on the weekends, you will likely be alone on Valentine’s Day if it falls during the week. However, there are other ways you can make the day seem special. For example if you know you are going to be alone on Valentine’s Day, try to keep yourself busy throughout the day. Schedule appointments such as manicures or pedicures, learn something new (like making chocolates), run errands or make plans to meet a friend for lunch or dinner. This will help to keep you from dwelling on the fact that it is Valentine’s Day. You can also make plans for the following weekend ahead of time so you will have something to look forward to. You may still be alone on Valentine’s Day but if you know you will be celebrating on the weekend it will help to make the day feel less sad and will help to make you feel less lonely.
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If you are alone on Valentine’s Day because you are not in a relationship, you can still have a great time on Valentine’s Day. One way to do this is to rent a few movies and order in diner from a really nice restaurant. Try ordering from a restaurant you have always wanted to try or from a place which you know is very popular with couples on Valentine’s Day. This will help to make the day more special for you and you will be less likely to feel as though you are left out from the day’s activities. Just because you are alone does not mean you can’t enjoy a great meal and have a fabulous night by yourself.

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If you have other friends who are single, you might consider hosting a singles only party on Valentine’s Day. You can invite all of your single friend and ask them each to bring someone else who is single. You and your friends will enjoy spending time together away from all of the couples who can make Valentine’s Day seem so lonely for those who are not in a relationship. You might even wind up meeting someone great at your Valentine’s Day party and next year you will not be alone on Valentine’s Day. You can even try playing match making games at the party which encourage the guests to get to know each other. Even if you do not wind up meeting someone great, one of your friends might. Examples of games you might play are the dating game or scavenger hunts which encourage guests to find other participants who have certain interests or personality traits.

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Finally, if you are alone on Valentine’s Day, it is important to remember it does not mean you will always be alone. One of the biggest mistakes singles often make on Valentine’s Day is spending too much time dwelling on the holiday. It is very important to remember that being alone on Valentine’s Day is not the end of the world. Try doing something for yourself like giving yourself a manicure, going for a run or taking a long bath. This will help you to focus more on yourself and your good qualities than the fact that you do not have a date on Valentine’s Day.

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1 comment:

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