The Variations of Valentine’s Day

By Meira Berlow | March 22, 2022

Valentine’s Day needs no introduction, being one of the most profitable holidays at more than $21 billion dollars spent in the United States according to the national retail federation and an internationally renowned holiday behind cultural mammoths like Christmas and Halloween. 

Despite its unending popularity, with February 14 being the most popular day year-round for flower sales, the actual beginnings and convoluted history of the traditions themselves seldom reach the limelight. Behind all the glitz and glamor of red roses and chocolate hearts, Valentine’s Day's actual origin is in contrast rather bloody to its modern sweet incarnation. 

The mythos of Valentine’s Day allegedly begins with Christian priest St. Valentine, living in Rome during the late 200s CE, and his grisly death in 269 CE after rebelling against the Emperor at the time.

Emperor Cladius II believed that it was better for the overarching country of Rome for the men to not engage in romantic relationships in favor of focusing on their fighting skills, and subsequently outlawed marriage as a whole in pursuit of stronger soldiers. Legend has it St. Valentine greatly opposed this and decided to fight back against this rule by marrying people in secret, but as soon as the emperor found out, he was beheaded for helping the betrothed. 

It was also rumored that he wore the Roman god of love Cupid’s symbol on his person to signify to the soldiers that he was on their side. Thanks to his valiant sacrifice, he became one of the most popular saints after his death and would later go on to be crowned the namesake of the holiday by Pope Gelasius in 496 CE.

The modern celebration stems from a myriad of reasons, starting with the date of February itself. February was eventually decided on for the month of love as it is not only when the first signs of spring bloom into the northern hemisphere, but also because February is the mating season for many bird species. 

The holiday didn’t start gaining worldwide attention outside of its Christian followers until  written and performed media made reference to it, gaining   traction for the holiday. Most importantly, playwright William Shakespeare helped to popularize the holiday by mentioning it in Hamlet.  

The popularity also received a substantial boom after postage stamps became readily accessible in the 1890s, allowing for people to confess their affections much more easily and commercially than ever before.