Valentine’s day is universally recognized as the day to show love and affection to the one you admire. In the beginning, it was a day that a feast was served in celebration of romance and love and as a commemoration to those that have sacrificed for the nature of those ideals. Today this concept has been altered in many ways. In most cultures, feasting is still used to celebrate the occasion. Many times a couple will go out to eat in a formal dinner setting presenting affection in the form of service and expense. Yet, others will decide to stay in and use the private dinner setting to invite romance with candles and wine.

Cupid is often used as an icon representing Valentine’s Day, seen as a nude boy or nymph with wings that is holding a bow and aiming an arrow. In Roman Mythology Cupid is the god of erotic love and beauty. In Latin the word cupid means desire. It was believed his arrows were used to bring a message to the hearts and souls of couples. This intimate message of romance and love could only be heard and felt by them. His aim is often spontaneous and unpredictable. Although many yearn for the attention of Cupid, he too can become smitten by the shear power he possesses.

Valentine’s Day is often used as a day of proposal for many ‘young love’ couples in the hopes that the magic and significance of the day will provide an everlasting effect upon their upcoming union. Many couples will marry on this day and bring enhancement to its meaning year after year. Even children will see this day as a way to express their growing emotions of love and admiration towards a special classmate and to the adults that encompass their daily lives.

Gifts are usually given and exchanged between people sharing relations of love and romance. It is very customary for a man to present a woman with flowers or jewelry to reflect his observations of her beauty to him. It is not uncommon for a woman to spend hours preparing herself to become the vision her man will desire.

However, Valentine’s Day is considered a Hallmark Holiday and there are countless cards, trinkets and memorabilia to mark the occasion and honor the ability to express love and admiration towards another. Chocolate is also used in the exchange of valentine emotions and ideals. The shapes, sizes and collections are endless and are found everywhere.

Although many gifts are given, sometimes it is a small and simple kiss from the heart that can be the most suggestive and reflective of one’s feelings. So long as it has come from your valentine!

Valentine’s Day, also known as St Valentine’s Day, is recognized in most Christian lead countries around the world. The word valentine comes from ancient roman days. ‘Valens’, in Latin, means worthy. The Latin meaning of valentine is; Valentinus and represents several martyred saints of the time. There are many different legends and versions of the origin of Valentine’s Day.

The most stated legend is that during 3rd Century Rome, Emperor Claudius II made it illegal for young men to marry. He felt young, single men were better soldiers. Valentine, a man of the cloth, thought that it was a great injustice and would secretly marry young couples. When he was discovered, he was condemned to death and therefore became known as a martyr (one that will choose death over renouncing religious principles or beliefs). He was buried outside of Rome on February 14. A different version suggests that Valentine was persecuted for helping Christians escape Roman prisons and the day of his death was then noted. Another legend is that commemorating this date was an effort to integrate Christianity with the Pagan celebration of Lupercalia. This was a belief that spring began in the middle of February and was seen as a time of purification and fertility when rituals and animal sacrifices where performed. Then there are some cultures that relate this day to romance based on mating habits of birds and other animals.

It was Pope Gelasius, in 496 who began the first celebration for the Saint Valentine, declaring it a holiday. The idea came from the Calendar of 354 written for and dedicated to a Roman man of wealth named, Valentius. It mentions the martyred Saints of Valentine. He established this day after the Roman lottery for pairing couples was declared illegal and un-Christian.

However, over the centuries the purpose and meaning of recognizing this day has changed and varied over decades and across societies. The applied versions become largely based on popular novels, articles and represented images of the times and places. Generally, idealizing the practice of romance and the emotion of love on this day came from 14th Century England. It was then associated with Courtly Love, a medieval European concept of expressing love & admiration between members of nobility. Over time this concept has become somewhat misconstrued, as this shared affection was kept secret. It was considered an erotic desire combined with a spiritual attainment that husbands and wives did not share.

The icon closely associated with Valentine’s Day is Cupid (a nude boy with wings holding a bow and arrow), in Latin it’s meaning is desire. Cupid is the god of erotic love and beauty in Roman Mythology. It was believed he brought an intimate message of romantic love to the souls of deserving couples.

Today, even though its original purpose has mostly been lost, it is a day for showing others that you hold them in your heart. It is a day representing love, affection and admiration.