Ah yes...February 14th is upon us and as i watch the tv and read and/or hear all of my friends talk about this time of year, i cant help but think about what a crook of shit it all is. Yes boys and girls i hate Valentines Day. Not because its a day dedicated to Love...no no i love love...but because it is a Day that is based on lies! LIES I SAY!
Now people have been celebrating what is now as Valentines Day for years for various reasons but not until the 20th century did the day really take off to what we see today...a consumer driven hallapolooza of reds and pinks and sometimes that bling bling created by the evil genius of the marketing warlords. Honestly people do you really believe that we celebrate V-day (as some companies would like you to believe) because of some historical religious reasons...like Christmas or Easter? And let me just say if you do...you will be horrible disappointed after reading what i have to say next. And a word to the wise dont take my word for it go research it yourself!
Now people let me enlighten you that when people say that Valentines Day was created by Hallmark it isnt some radical Hippie conspiracy theory nor is it because they are cold hearted people that dont believe in love...its because its the truth...give or take the Hallmark part (you'll see what i mean later).
ST.VALENTINE
Historically little is known about St. Valentine (some say they lack on information is do to the Medieval Ages*) or how many there actually were (yes boys and girls there was more than on St. Valentine) but Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred (see http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day).
Nevertheless, what is know about the Valentines are as follows:
- Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270...Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].
(see http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159) - Valentine of Terni[9] became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome (however some scholars believe that the Valentine of Rome and Terni are on and the same). (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)
- Of the third Saint Valentine, who suffered in Africa with a number of companions, nothing further is known. (see http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15254a.htm)
THE LEGEND
- One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. (see http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day)
- One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine." (see http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159)
- Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. (see http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day)
THE V-DAY BEGINNING
During the Medieval Ages, the beginning of courtly love began in Paris on Valentines Day in 1400. The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading. The earliest surviving valentine is a 15th-century rondeau written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife, which commences. At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt, 1415. And Valentine's Day is mentioned ruefully by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600–1601) (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)
However, even though V-day as we know it started during the Medieval Ages, the celebration on love and fertility began with the Pagan cultures during the month, as we know it, of February or what they considered the first month of spring called the Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. (see http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day)
Nevertheless, Modern Valentines Day stems from the Medieval Ages where love note and courting for love began what we would call dating today. However, in the Medieval Ages on the actual day of February 14th was for the celebration of the death of St. Valentine...not what we see today.
MODERN VALENTINES DAY
In 1797 a limited amount of printed Valentines became available and in the 19th century in England Valentine became factory produced. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid-19th century. And In the UK, just under half the population spend money on their Valentines and around 1.3 billion pounds is spent yearly on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts, with an estimated 25 million cards being sent. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)
In The mid-19th century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow. In the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts in the United States. Such gifts typically include roses and chocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving jewelry.The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the US. Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, usually to children. When you include the valentine-exchange cards made in school activities the figure goes up to 1 billion, and teachers become the people receiving the most valentines. In some North American elementary schools, children decorate classrooms, exchange cards, and are given sweets. The greeting cards of these students sometimes mention what they appreciate about each other. The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards. An estimated 15 million e-valentines were sent in 2010. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day)
CONCLUSION
So after all of that what happened to Valentines Day??? I will tell you...it went form a celebration of life and fertility...to a celebration of a Saints death...and ending in a multi-million dollar industry that is instilled in us as grade school students to promote unnecessary gift giving and spending on a holiday that has turn love into materialistic fantasy of love. Valentines Day went from a celebration of life and new beginnings to card and candy and even worse forced confessions of love. If you want to celebrate life and new beginnings and even love on February 14th then do so without the lame ass gift, cards and candy. Money is easy...feelings are hard...dont take the easy way out. So for all you out there that dont have a Valentine dont let if get you down just celebrate your life and remind yourself that life is good...love life. And for those of you that do have a Valentine remember that no gift is great than just knowing that you have someone that is there for you everyday not just on Valentines Day!
