Who doesn’t think of Valentine’s Day when it comes to February? Valentine’s Day is a really popular celebration nowadays in which lovers celebrate their emotions with their soulmates. In other words, they spend the whole day with their other half and they show their love by buying gifts. Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide from many people especially the younger ones. But, do we know how it all started? What’s the story behind it that led to this day?

First of all, it is celebrated on 14th of February. It is a Christian feast day devoted to the martyr Valentine. Later, it was socially exploited by businessmen around the world and it became a religious and commercial celebration of romance and love. There were many martyrs named Valentine, but those who are celebrated are those of Rome. Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. The relics of Saint Valentine were kept in the Church and catacombs of San Valentino in Rome. Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna (now Terni, in central Italy) and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian in 273. He is buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location from Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di San Valentino).  A relic claimed to be Saint Valentine of Terni’s head was preserved in the abbey of New Minster, Winchester and venerated. In Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Valentine is recognized on 6th of July. Additionally, they observe the feast of Hieromartyr Valentine, bishop of Interamna on the 30th of July.

Europeans have made a lot of modern traditions highlighting the romantic love and the beginning of spring. Starting with England, apart from the classic buying chocolates and flowers or sending cards, this day still has religious elements in their traditions. In a 2016 poll conducted by Channel 4 for Valentine’s Day, Jane Austen’s line, «My heart is, and always will be, yours», from her novel Sense and Sensibility as said by Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) to Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) in the acclaimed 1995 film adaption, was voted the most romantic line from literature, film, and TV by thousands of women.

In recent years, Romania has also started celebrating Valentine’s Day. This has drawn backlash from several groups, institutions, and nationalist organizations like Noua Dreapta, who condemn Valentine’s Day for being superficial, commercialist, and imported Western kitsch. In order to counter the perceived denaturation of national culture, Dragobete, a spring festival celebrated in parts of Southern Romania, has been rekindled after having been ignored during the Communist years as the traditional Romanian holiday for lovers. The holiday is named after a character from Romanian folklore who was supposed to be the son of Baba Dochia. Its date used to vary depending on the geographical area, however nowadays it is commonly observed on February 24.

Saint Valentine’s Day was introduced to Poland together with the cult of Saint Valentine via Bavaria and Tyrol. However, it rose in popularity in the 1990s. The only and the biggest public celebration in Poland is held annually from 2002 in Chelmno under the name «Walentynki Chełmińskie» (Chełmno Valentine’s). Because Chełmno’s parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been holding the relic of Saint Valentine since the Middle Ages, local cult of the saint has been combined with the Anglo-Saxon tradition.

Also, in America, on the United States mainland, about 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, not including the hundreds of millions of cards school children exchange. Valentine’s Day is a major source of economic activity, with total expenditures topping $18.2 billion in 2017, or over $136 per person. This is an increase from $108 per person in 2010. In 2019, a survey by the National Retail Federation found that over the previous decade, the percentage of people who celebrate Valentine’s Day had declined steadily. From their survey results, they found three primary reasons: over-commercialization of the holiday, not having a significant other, and not being interested in celebrating it.

What is more, Valentine’s Day symbols are more than decorations; they express love and they create lasting memories. Roses, hearts, and chocolates hold powerful meanings, making them ideal for expressing affection. A heart symbolizes the emotional bond between you and your partner, perfect for love. The color red becomes an anthem and it appears almost everywhere. Many people wear only red colors that day or eat red foods.

In my opinion, Valentine’s Day is an important celebration and a happy break of everyday life problems. Routine and responsibilities are »killing» love between couples and Valentine’s Day reminds them not to forget their lover’s needs. Aside from that though, we also need to consider the religious side of the celebration.

Now that you know all those things what do you say about the 14th of February? Will you get presents that day?