History of Valentine's Day

Story behind Velentine's Day 

Everyone talks about valentine's day but a few knows,  why it is celebrated! It is the day when lovers express their affection with greetings, gifts and flowers. One of the most talking day of the year is 14 February. It is celebrated by lovers all over the world .

Valentine's Day also called as Saint Valentine's Day. It is celebrated in spring season, flowers candies and gifts are exchanged between lovers.

But , who is this mysterious saint and where did those traditions come from celebration of Valentine's Day??

What is the history behind Valentine's Day and Saint Valentine? We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance , as Saint Valentine's Day, as we know it today contains vestiges of both Christian and Ancient Roman tradition.

But don't know how St. Valentine is associated with this ?There are many stories which tells about St. Valentine.

The Catholic Church Story 

According to one story about St. Valentine, the Catholic Church recognises at least 11 saints named Valentine . They announced celebration in respect of all saints. But in all these 11 saints , Saint Valentine Rome was most important personality.

Saint Valentine was a priest who served during in the third century. Claudius was the king of Rome then . According to the king Claudius, marriages can lessen power and intellectual capacity. So he pass a rule and banned marriages for soldiers and his officers. Saint Valentine came to know about rule and discorded the laws. He started helping soldiers to do marriage. Many of soldiers started doing marriages after Saint Valentine appeal. Because Saint Valentine realising the injustice of the decree , defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young soldiers and lovers secretly.

When Valentine's action came across Claudius, he ordered that he be put to death. Others who supported St Valentine were beheaded by Claudius ll outside Rome.

According to one legend, after imprisoning St Valentine started serving and taking care of people in prison, and also the jailor's blind daughter's. With the help of Valentine's, the jailor's daughter regain sight . It is said before death , Valentine actually sent the first "Valentine greeting" himself after he fell in love with jailor's young girl . He wrote a letter to her signed  " from you Valentine" an expression that is still in use today.

Although the truth behind the Valentine legend is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and most importantly romantic figure. 

In middle ages , Valentine would became one of the most popular saints in English and France. Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270.

  Celebration of Valentine in different Countries

As everyone knows 14 February is a day of lovers , they express their love on this day with different romantic ideas. It wasn't until more than 200 years later than 14 February was proclaimed St Valentine's Day.

By this time , Rome had became Christians and the Catholic Church was determined to stamp out any remaining paganism . A pagan fertility ritual was held in February each year and the Pope abolished this festival and proclaimed 14 February Saint Valentine's day, this establishing this feast day on the Catholic calendar of saints .

The poet named Chaucer was the first to link St Valentine with love in middle ages . This was the beginning of tradition of courtly love , a ritual of expressing love and admiration usually in secret.  This custom spread throughout Europe and stories grew about a high court of love where female judges would rule on issues related to love 14 February each year.

History tellers believes that these meeting were in fact gatherings where people read love poetry and play games of flirtations.

Valentine's Day Gifts

On each Valentine's day people send special cards to their lovers for expressing their love and affection. The cards are created beautifully, have designes which describes love to sender to the recipient.

The cards and flowers are the most used things as gifts on Valentine's Day. Cards have pictures of cupid ,  flowers and trimmed and designed with ribbon and laces . Inside the card , sender writes his / her feelings and love poetry for their lover , attaches beautiful images .

The cars are used still today to symbolise love and are recognised all over the world.

Today's Valentine

As Valentine is celebrated throughout the world. Many countries have developed their own traditions and rituals for Valentine's celebration. In some parts of world valentine's day is observed as a day for expressing love between family members and friends , rather than that of romantic couples.

Some traditions include leaving candies and gifts for children and others. Most common things that are given on valentine's day as a gift are cards , flowers and other specific gifts. Millions of valentine's day cards being exchanged each year . Gifts or a single rose are send with romantic messages.  Everyone thinks to make their day special in a different way . Some couples choose a movie date with their partner , some go for a dinner, some loves home- cooked food on picnic , going on some special location and expressing love .

Some people present marriage proposal, as thay  prefer valentine's day for expressing love and making commitments . Some choose going in luxurious hotels and on favourite locations for spending quality time with their lovers . Food is presented in heart shapes to make to moment more real and romantic.

Everyone wants to make their day special and memorable by doing romantic things . But eventually whatever the method is used valentine's day in itself is special and memorable for couples.