Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine,is celebrated annually on February 14.It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
Mixed opinions prevail regarding who or what was celebrated in mid-February. Some point to martyred saints by the name of Valentine or Valentinus. The most popular story tells of the saint who defied a decree by Emperor Claudius II who outlawed marriage for young men because he believed single men made better soldiers. St. Valentine, preferring young lovers to be wed than have them sneaking around (or believing in the power of love), would marry them in secret. However, it may have been another Valentine who performed the marriages. Either way, at least two of them were beheaded for their actions.
Since the Renaissance, we've been exchanging Valentine's cards. These handmade missives of romance grew into a more commercial venture by the Victorian era. Today, school children exchange Valentine's greetings, too. They prepare for the day by making unique boxes to receive their many hearts, cupids, and pun-filled rhymes.
If you're short on ideas, the Dating Divas offer a list of115 Literal last-minute Valentine's Day ideas to save your goose!
