The day has been observed for over 1.500 years, started as a feast to honour a martyr of the early Christian church. A relic in a church in Rome is believed to be St.Valentine’s skull.
Gradually the day has become associated with romance and love.
It is a nice way to express affection, gratitude, love which has just started or a love which has stood the test of time…but like many other festivities commercialism has taken over. Many industries benefit from it, most popular gifts are roses, chocolates, jewellery, expensive wines, expensive restaurants…
Somehow the depth of the feelings is being measured by the price tag of the gift.
Just wondering if you celebrate Valentine’s Day and, if yes, how do you celebrate it? Or do you just consider it another gimmick by the commercial world?
Regardless of its origins, it seems to me that Valentine’s Day has certainly become the latter.
I don’t recall its being a ‘thing’ in Australia mid last century during my childhood and adolescence. I learned of it then only because of American TV series, comics, cartoons, and books. I don’t think I even knew the date of Valentine’s Day.
Some time later the merchandising began to appear here too.
Celebrate on Valentine’s Day? No. I express affection/gratitude/love to my partner every day!
As with Easter and Christmas and many of the other ‘Days’, I ignore it.
I used to enjoy celebrating some of these, but the relentless commercial drive to spend spend spend to show literally how much you value the people you love has tarnished them.
If Valentine’s Day is based on the festival of Lupercalia (15 Feb.) it might show that at least some progress has been made in how women are treated: given chocolates instead of a whipping…
Lupercalia, ancient Roman festival that was conducted annually on February 15 under the superintendence of a corporation of priests called Luperci… As a fertility rite, the festival is also associated with the god Faunus…Each Lupercalia began with the sacrifice by the Luperci of goats and a dog…The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the sacrificial animals and ran in two bands around the Palatine hill, striking with the thongs at any woman who came near them. A blow from the thong was supposed to render a woman fertile.
In 494 CE the Christian church under Pope Gelasius I forbade participation in the festival. Tradition holds that he appropriated the form of the rite as the Feast of the Purification (Candlemas) celebrated on February 2, but it is likely that the Christian feast was established in the previous century. It has also been alternately suggested that Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day, celebrated on February 14th, but the origin of that holiday was likely much later.
We always avoid going out for a “date night” on 14 February. Most places have “special” menus that are anything but, and it’s busier than usual. Flowers are also more expensive to buy around now. Much better, as you say, to celebrate on more personal occasions.
Valentine’s Day and most other “days”, whether declared public holidays or not, are mostly “this” i.e. just another opportunity for attempting to flog you ‘stuff’. Whether and how you choose to engage is of course entirely up to you.
Of course, not all consumers enjoy Valentine’s Day rituals.
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But there is a market for that too. Anti-Valentine’s day sentiment has inspired other ways to (not) celebrate, including a box of chocolates aimed at single people.
We are travelling, so last night’s restaurant meal did double duty. We usually avoid joining the rush to spend and celebrate the 14th, other than wishing each other a Happy Valentine’s Day.
Spare a thought too, for those whose special day today is their birthday. We have one, celebration always moved to avoid the rush and premium of the day. Although rolling both into one could be said to be two for the price of one, if one is of frugal mindset.
For those after a more practical gift suggestion.
The country bakery we had our first road stop today had jam and cream doughnuts in the shape of a heart. A gift with special appeal and pleasuarable. Although not so likely accepted if your special love has DB2. I’d need to eat mine and theirs.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. If the festival is a reminder of love and dedication, fine, but don’t encourage the commercial promoters.
