Valentine’s Day is just over a week away on February 14th and time to get mushy and romantic. Ever wondered how Valentine’ Day came about?
Apparently there are a few legends out there. One Roman legend states that Valentine’s Day is all Saint Valentine. It’s believed that St Valentine was marrying young men and women secretly, despite Emperor Claudius forbidding young men from tying the knot because they were better soldiers than lovers. St Valentine was put to death on February 14th when the Emperor found out.
Another legend suggests that Valentine himself sent the first ‘valentine’ note to young girl he fell in love with while in prison. The letter spoke of his undying love for the young woman and signed off with ‘from your Valentine’.
Some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to mark the anniversary of Valentine’s death.
It was around the 17th century that Valentine’s Day was celebrated on a mass level, and by the middle of the 18th century small tokens and handwritten gifts were being exchanged between lovers and friends.
It was towards the end of the 18th century that Valentine’s Day started to take on a commercial feel, when ready made cards began replacing written letters.
My next post will discuss how couples massage is a great way to celebrate St. Valentine.