In mid-February, when winter lingers and spring feels just out of reach, hearts, candy and roses fill store shelves. Valentine’s Day, now known as a celebration of love and friendship, has roots that stretch back centuries and began as something far different from the holiday recognized today.
Valentine’s Day is celebrated every Feb. 14. The day is often remembered for its romance, but its roots trace back to Ancient Rome. According to History.com, the holiday is believed to be connected to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 and focused on fertility and the coming of the spring season.
Lupercalia was a pagan festival honoring Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. During the celebration, priests would sacrifice animals and use their hides in rituals believed to promote fertility. The festival also included matchmaking traditions.
As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, many pagan traditions were altered or replaced. According to Britannica, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day. The new holiday was believed to be created to replace Lupercalia with a Christian observance.
According to National Geographic, Emperor Claudius II of Rome thought his unmarried soldiers were better fighters, and in turn banned marriage altogether. St.Valentine of Rome disagreed with these rules and started to secretly wed those who were willing. He was found out on Feb. 14 and was ordered to be killed. Awaiting his fate, he wrote the first Valentine’s letter to his daughter, telling her about his love for her and signed it “from your Valentine,” a phrase still used today.
By the Middle Ages, Valentine’s Day became associated with romantic love. According to History.com, Europeans believed Feb. 14 marked the beginning of birds’ mating season, further linking the date to romance. Poems and handwritten notes became common ways to express affection.
Valentine’s Day traditions continued to evolve in the United States during the 19th century. The Library of Congress stated that the mass production of Valentine’s Day cards began in the 1840s with the popularity of the printing press, making the holiday more accessible to the public. Candy, flowers and gifts soon followed.
For teenagers, the love does not stop. For many, memories of Valentine’s Day consist of class parties and boxes made to store fellow classmate’s treats. Sophomore Macy Kissler, reminisced on her favorite parts of the holiday.
“My favorite memories are from elementary school, making Valentine’s boxes. I even remember making a pink purse with tassels and I was so proud of it,” Kissler said.
Senior Ellie Ness also has memories of Valentine’s boxes.
“I made a Starbucks cup, and it was really fun to make and when I took it to school it was fun getting valentines,” Ness said.
After giving out valentines, parents would flood into elementary school classrooms with balloons and streamers, signaling the start of class parties. These parties are a nostalgic memory for elementary school students.
“I remember getting together with all my classmates and having a fun holiday party and we had snacks and drinks,” senior Mina Beekman said.
Outside of school, many girls get together and celebrate “Galentine’s Day.” In recent years this tradition has taken shape as a night in with friends. Many exchange gifts, share desserts and celebrate time together.
“Last year [my friends] each made charcuterie boards and everyone brought different themed ones, which was really fun.” Kissler said.
Although the holiday traditionally was for couples, it is for all relationships, even family.
“The morning of Valentine’s Day my parents made a goodie basket for me and my siblings, it had a nice note and some candies and some other Valentine’s themed things,” Ness said.
Kissler shared a similar tradition.
“When [my family] wakes up my Dad has chocolates for all the girls in the family and at night my mom makes these Valentine’s Day heart shaped cookies,” Kissler said.
The history of Valentine’s Day is skewed and has many different explanations. From festivals to secret weddings, no matter the history the outcome stays the same, it is a day of appreciation and love.
