So...that dreaded day is coming, isn't it? That one day a year that men are meant to treat their women to flowers, jewelery and chocolate. Hands up if you hate it? Ohhhh look at that a third of the population just raised their hands.
Why does society dictate that we should spend hundreds of dollars on flowers, chocolate, jewelery and stuffed bears that say "I love you" when all you need to do is tell your partner that you love her or him? What ever happened to being creative and spontaneous? Love is meant to be spontaneous. It's what keeps us from getting bored.
What is spontaneity? In layman's terms, it's a new idea that you form and you go with it, not sticking to the same old dull routine. So isn't Valentine's Day, dull? It happens every year. We all know it's coming. Where's the spontaneity there? Where's the fun of never knowing when you're going to be spoilt by your loved one?
Also, who has ever given their male partner a gift? Have you had the thought? Oh no, it's Valentine's Day soon...what should I get the man I love? Is it really fair that Valentine's Day is for women? What do men get? They may not want flowers or chocolate or jewelery but come on, give them something to show you appreciate them. It kind of seems like they get the poor end of the stick on this one.
If I asked a handful of people what the history of Valentine's Day even meant, do you think I would get an answer? Do you think anyone has actually taken the time to research it and find out why we celebrate a day of "love" rather than just reap the rewards of having someone love you?
Well here it goes.
Valentine's Day is named after a kindly cleric named Valentine (shocker) who died more than a thousand years ago. Even though I'm no romantic, I can appreciate a sweet love story and the efforts of someone who defied his superior in order to stand by what he thought to be right. This story actually made me appreciate Valentine's Day, after all, it's history.
St Valentine's Day originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia which was a fertility celebration that used to be observed annually on the 15th of February.
In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day and set it to be on 14th February. He proclaimed that it was to be a feast day in honour of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr who lives in the 3rd century.
Saint Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Roman emperor Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed for his 'atrocities'.
When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the mean weak. So he had issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers.
The kindly bishop Valentine realised that this was an injustice and he saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage. So he came up with the idea of marrying young lovers in secret. Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony.
But things like this could not stay hidden for long, and it was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this "friend of lovers" and had him arrested.
While he was waiting for his sentence in prison, one of his jailors' Asterius, had asked Valentine (who, it was said, had some saintly abilities and one of them was to heal people) to heal his blind daughter. It is said that Valentine did, indeed, help Asterius' daughter but it is not said how this was done.
Claudius met with Valentine to try to convert him to the Roman gods but he was unsuccessful. Valentine refused and even tried to convert the emperor! He knew the consequences of such an action and yet he tried. Claudius was so angered by this action of Valentine's that he gave the order to execute him.
Meanwhile, a deep friendship had developed between Valentine and Asterius' daughter. It is even said that just before his executive, Valentine asked for pen and paper and he signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine". A phrase that has lived on through the ages.
The story of St Valentine is not centred on love but on religion. He was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Valentine was executed on February 14, 270 AD.
So...why do we celebrate Valentine's Day with offerings of love?
Every Valentine's Day, whether I'm with someone or not, I spend with my girlfriends. I don't want to folllow some fad that everyone follows. I'm not a sheep. Yes it would be nice if a man loved me and showered me with gifts, but does it have to be on one specific day a year? A day that EVERYONE gets spoilt?
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