Traditions

Do you have any holiday traditions? Most people do. Like here, in America, some celebrate Valentine’s day by being with loved ones, eating chocolates or other candies, handing out cards and decorating classrooms, stores, or even your house. Some people might have their own unique holiday traditions. Different places have different traditions too.

Trivia

Did you know that Valentine’s day used to be a Christian feast but way before that it was about celebrating St. Valentine’s death. “Who’s St. Valentine?” you might be asking. Well, I’m here to tell you who he is and what Valentine’s day is and what it used to be.

Some scholars believe that Valentine’s Day is held in February to commemorate the death of Saint Valentine.
Many others strongly believe that it was celebrated in mid-February in an effort to Christianize the pagan celebration known as Lupercalia which consisted of celebrating fertility through animal sacrifice.

There are many legends about who the true Saint Valentine is.
One legend states that Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. When Rome’s Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men and women, Valentine decided to wed young couples in secret. However, after Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius sent Valentine to death.
Another legend scholars believe could be the original Saint Valentine was the Bishop of Terni who was sent to Rome to cure a child that was of great significance to a Roman official. Nobody knows what happened next, but Valentine was eventually by Emperor Claudius II.
Other stories suggest that Valentine was killed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons and could have even been a prisoner himself.

Valentine’s Day changed over the course of the years as it was introduced to places around the world that celebrated the holiday with their own twist.
In France and England during the Middle Ages, February 14 was believed to be the first day of a bird’s mating season. This added to the concept of romance that we still experience today. The Middle Ages was also the time when people began to exchange homemade love notes with their significant others.
Valentine’s Day became exceptionally popular during the seventeenth century in Great Britain. By the time the eighteenth century rolled around, it was quite common for friends and lovers to give each other notes expressing their love.
In the year 2024, over 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged throughout the world and are still filled with the same love from the Middle Ages.