Today we celebrate love and romance with everything from handwritten cards to beautiful jewelry. The boxes of chocolate that won’t see tomorrow and whispered I love you over romantic dinners. Celebrating love is the Valentine’s Day everyone knows and loves, but how did this holiday go from celebrations of purity and fertility to savoring the romantic gifts and acts of love we have today?
Ancient Romans were the first to celebrate. Saint Valentine represented, to many at the time, purity and fertility. Festivals were held every year in the early spring to marry off young couples, not the most romantic holiday. In fact, the romance would take another millennium to really take hold. The earliest valentine recorded was in 1382. A poem was written for King Richard II to celebrate his marriage. The celebration of Saint Valentine was mentioned in several poems and letters recovered from lovers and in Shakespearean plays.
During the turn of the 19th century, the Victorian era of romance and love culminated in these letters being written by the hundreds and sent out. In 1835, there were nearly 60,000 being sent out, despite the high postage cost. Not even five years later, the invention of postage stamps made them much more accessible, and almost half a million were being sent out annually. This rapidly growing holiday crossed the Atlantic, and in 1849 the first American celebration of Valentine’s day was recorded. The industrial revolution at the turn of the century encouraged romance and family. These were quickly being commodified and celebrated with this holiday.
With the booming new economy, Valentine’s cards and flowers were supplemented with candies and jewelry. Valentine’s day only grew in a nation that was in love with romance, quickly becoming not only one of the most popular holidays in America but one of the most profitable. Who doesn’t want to snuggle with a box of your favorite chocolate and smell the fresh roses?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
More Helpful Articles
The Bay Area Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus are one of the most common trees in the Bay Area, towering over us at almost a hundred feet, but how did they get there in the first place? Ranging from timber supply prospects to malaria prevention, people have tried using them for everything. Nature's...
House Cleaning Tips
As 2023 begins to settle in, it's time to take a good look at your home and finally reorganize. Of course, when you decide to clean up, it's all or nothing. Here is some advice from professional organizers to keep the workload manageable. Everyone has messes; some...
Keeping Up with New Year’s Resolutions
Every year our new resolutions come and go, but how can we make sure we follow through? Big or small, here is how you can make your goal possible. Here are a couple steps that you can take to make sure that this is finally the year we stick to our resolutions. Though...
Recent Comments