Valentine's Day

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Valentine’s Day, or Saint Valentine’s Day, is a holiday celebrated on February 14th by many people around the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for one another by sending Valentine’s cards, giving flowers, or offering sweets. The holiday is named after two of the numerous early Christian martyrs named Valentine. This day became associated with romantic love during the High Middle Ages, in the time when the tradition of courtly love was widespread. Another theory, originating from Belarus, suggests that the holiday stems from the story of Saint Valentine, who, after being rejected by his beloved, was so heartbroken that he stabbed himself in the chest and gave her his still-beating heart as a symbol of his eternal love for her. Hence, heart-shaped cards are sent as a representation of his intense passion and suffering. This day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of “valentines.” Modern symbols of Valentine’s Day include heart shapes, doves, and the image of winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely been replaced by mass-produced greeting cards. Sending Valentine’s cards was a fashion in 19th-century Great Britain; in 1847, Esther Howland started a successful business in her home in Worcester, Massachusetts, producing handmade Valentine’s cards based on British designs. The popularity of Valentine’s cards in 19th-century America foreshadowed the future commercialization of holidays in the United States. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion Valentine’s cards are sent worldwide each year, making this day the second-largest holiday for card exchanges after Christmas. The association also estimates that women purchase around 85 percent of all Valentine’s cards.