Valentines Day ? Where Did THAT Come From?

Just as soon as the stores put away their Christmas merchandise, out comes the Valentine's Day items - even though Valentine's is still more than six weeks away.

I don't know why, but it always takes me by surprise to see Valentine's Day merchandise so soon after Christmas.

I've always wondered where Valentine's Day came from, and under those circumstances, a person could be forgiven for thinking it was invented to create more business when Christmas is over.

But no, after a little research, I discovered that Valentine's is not a holiday that was "invented" by greeting card companies to sell more greeting cards or by candy companies to sell more candy or by florists to sell more roses.

Valentine's Day actually started more than 1,500 years ago.

According to legend, Valentine was a priest who defied the orders of the Roman emperor Claudius and continued to perform marriages. It seems that Claudius realized no young men wanted to join his army because they didn't want to leave their wives and sweethearts. When it was discovered that Valentine was still performing marriages in secret, he was sentenced to death. Valentine allegedly cured the jailer's daughter of blindness, and on the night before his execution, sent a note to her signed "from your Valentine." He reportedly died on Feb. 14, 269 A.D.

In 496 A.D., February 14 was named by Pope Gelasius to honor St. Valentine.

The first Valentines are credited to Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London during the 1400s where he wrote romantic verses that he sent to his wife.

A woman named Esther Howland is credited with sending the first Valentine in the United States.

The United States Postal Service is credited with advancing the popularity of sending Valentines when the penny postcard was introduced in the mid 1800s. Before that, sending mail was too expensive for the average person, because at the time, the person who RECEIVED the letter paid the postage and not the person who SENT the letter.

Personally, I'm thankful it's not that way today. Can you imagine paying the postage to receive your Valentines?

In days gone by, Valentines were hand-painted cards decorated with lace and feathers and sequins.

I don't know about anybody else, but if I were going to hand paint a Valentine and decorate it with lace and feathers and sequins, I wouldn't go to all that work for just anybody.

Nowadays, however, Valentine's cards are mass produced in thousands of designs and sizes - large ones and small ones; serious ones and silly ones; inexpensive ones and expensive ones.

The variety of Valentine's cards is overwhelming and, as far as I'm concerned, rather unnecessary. I mean, how many Valentine's cards does one person need to buy? Spouse? Parents? Siblings? Second and third cousins? The teacher you had in fifth grade? The lady who cuts your hair? The grocery store clerk who tallied up your last purchase? The man who stopped his car so you could make it through the crosswalk without being run over?

And what about the Valentine's merchandise? The candy, the posters, the teddy bears sporting a red heart that says 'Be Mine,' socks with little red hearts all over them, heart-shaped rings, necklaces and earrings, and the list goes on and on.

I wonder what the real St. Valentine would think of the cards and the candy and the jewelry and whatever else?

Then again, maybe the real St. Valentine would be delighted by this turn of events.

After all, it's been more than 1,700 years since he died, but every Feb. 14, people are still celebrating Valentine's Day.

And that puts giving Valentines into a whole new perspective, doesn't it.

About The Author

LeAnn R. Ralph is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Assoc.) and is the author of the book, Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm) (Aug. 2003; trade paperback). She is working on her next book, Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam (which will be available later in 2004). Share the view from Rural Route 2 - http://ruralroute2.com

bigpines@ruralroute2.com

---

10 Holiday Sober Savers 2004

1.) BEGIN NOW !!!Don't save your shopping, decorating, cooking, wrapping,... Read More

Valentines Day Rapport

How to develop and heighten rapport on Valentines Day beyond... Read More

Birthday Gift Ideas

Birthday celebrations date back as far as biblical times, when... Read More

Maybe This Christmas Will Be Different....

Have you always dreamed of a Norman Rockwell Christmas -... Read More

Easter Traditions: Seven Ways To Add Meaning To Your Family Celebration

Family traditions connect us to past and future generations. They... Read More

Top 5 Ways for an ADD Adult to Have a Happy Holiday

Holidays have the potential to send an adult with Attention... Read More

Planning a Spectacular Christmas Party

The holiday season is typically filled with large fancy parties,... Read More

The Gingerbread Nightmare

Do you ever see those beautiful gingerbread houses during the... Read More

Losing Weight During The Holiday Season--Can It Be Done?

Thirteen years ago I became quite intrigued with the idea... Read More

Planning a Gift Closet

Creating a gift closet is a wonderful way to plan... Read More

Surviving Those Holiday Blues

Not everyone shares in the celebration and joy associated with... Read More

Make it an Unforgettable Birthday!

The first known birthday celebrations began among the Egyptians with... Read More

Valentines Day

Ever wondered how February 14 became, the day on which... Read More

5 Things Your Christmas Table Should Not Be Without

Christmas dinner probably the most elaborate and complex dinners you... Read More

Gift Wrapping Ideas

If you're tired of your gifts looking like everyone else's,... Read More

Top 20 New Years Quotations

"Here's to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell... Read More

How To Choose The Hotel Thats Right For You

Getting the right hotel to spend one~s vacation at is... Read More

Valentine Gifts From The Heart

One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother... Read More

Ten Ways To Make The Holidays Easier Next Year

What does your holiday season usually look like -- a... Read More

The Spirit of Fathers Day

Some time ago I received a gift from both of... Read More

50 Ways to Acknowledge Your Employees Before and After Labor Day

For most people, Labor Day symbolizes the end of summer,... Read More

Practical Ways to Keep Your ADD Under Control During the Holiday Season

Do November's Thanksgiving experiences have you dreading the December holidays?... Read More

Fathers Day and Flowers

Father's Day is about to be celebrated in Australia. The... Read More

Easter Flowers

Easter is Sunday, March 27th! Don't forget the flowers! Your... Read More

Marching Towards Mothers Day

"Mother: the most beautiful word on the lips of mankind."... Read More

The History of Christmas Ornaments

History of OrnamentsIn A.D. 336, an early Roman calendar first... Read More

How to Host Thankgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway

You've been nominated; or perhaps your family has issued a... Read More

Incredibles Kid Birthday Party Idea

Mr. Incredible and Elastiwoman to the Rescue. The Incredibles based... Read More

Traditional Anniversary Gifts Year by Year, the Twentieth - One Hundred Years

Twentieth through the twenty-fourth anniversaries traditional gift is china. Vintage... Read More

The History of Teddy Bears

Teddy bears have been around since 1902. The teddy bear... Read More

Beyond All Tied Up With A Bow - Great Tips for Creating Beautifully Wrapped Holiday Gifts

No matter what the season, packages make a statement even... Read More

The Bloated Bar Mitzvah Celebration: 6 Ways to Take It Back

Bar Mitzvah celebrations have grown exponentially in size and scope... Read More

Get Organised for Christmas... NOW!

Hasn't time flown? Only six weeks to Christmas!Now you may... Read More