Although the origins of Valentine’s Day are shrouded in mystery, when it became a commercial occasion is not. Esther Howland, the woman who produced the first commercial American valentines in the 1840s, sold a then mind-boggling $5,000 in cards during her first year in business. The valentine industry in the United States has been booming ever since. Today over 1 billion valentine cards are sent in this country each year—second in number only to Christmas cards.
When did the Valentine’s Day frenzy begin? Scholars tell slightly different versions of the history of this holiday dating back to the Roman Feast of Lupercalia, an ancient pagan fertility celebration. There’s also controversy regarding Saint Valentine, for whom the famous day is named. Archaeologists, who unearthed a Roman catacomb and church dedicated to St. Valentine are not sure if there was one Valentine or more. The most accepted candidate for the honor is a 3rd century priest who practiced Christianity and performed secret marriages against direct orders from the Emperor who believed single soldiers were more likely to join the army. Legend has it that Valentine sent the jailer’s daughter, who was a friend, a note signed “From Your Valentine” before he was executed on February 14th.
Early Christians were happier with the idea of a holiday honoring the saint of romantic causes than with one recognizing a pagan festival. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius named February 14 in honor of St. Valentine as the patron saint of lovers but Pope Paul VI dropped it from the calendar in 1969. However, the blend of Roman festival and Christian romanticism had caught on years earlier and Valentine’s Day was here to stay.
Before Esther produced the first commercial cards in the U.S., they were made by hand. Cards are still the most accepted gift for a non-romantic relationship such as a parent, a child, or a teacher.
But buying a romantic present is a whole different story and, although usually fun for women, it’s definitely not a bed of roses for most men. It isn’t like buying a birthday gift because the gift you choose can not only show your affection but the degree of commitment as well and can signal the seriousness and type of relationship. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to send the wrong signal.
Romantic gifts come in several types—Personal, Traditional, Silly, and Things To Do. While the traditional, which includes chocolates and roses, are the easiest to arrange, the personal and things to do have much more effect, precisely because they take more effort to prepare.
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Valentine Day
