What is so Happy about Valentine?

The myth of St. Valentine’s Story

So what is so happy about St. Valentine that millions across the globe spend a fortune to make themselves happy for the day or make others happy? Where did the celebration of Valentine’s Day really come from?

When you think of February 14^th, what immediately come to some minds are thoughts of naked Romans, paganism, and whips. Some have likened the celebration of Valentine to Halloween (which I do not subscribe to).

There are so many stories about the myth of St Valentine leaving curious minds such as myself undecided which story to adopt as official.

Some have traced this dedicated lovers’ day to raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility, said classics professor Noel Lenski of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The annual pagan celebration, called Lupercalia, was held every year on February 15 and remained wildly popular well into the fifth century A.D.—at least 150 years after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

“It is clearly a very popular thing, even in an environment where the [ancient] Christians are trying to close it down,” Lenski said. “So there’s reason to think that the Christians might instead have said, OK, we’ll just call this a Christian festival.”

The church pegged the festival to the legend of St. Valentine.

So that is one story. There is another one.

It claims that Saint Valentine is said to have lived in Rome during the third century. That was a long time ago. During this time Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. Many people did not like the ruler.

Claudius was having trouble getting men to serve in his army. He felt many men would not volunteer to join because they did not want to leave their wives and families. He thought that if men were not married, they would join the army. So Claudius passed a new law which did not allow any more marriages. Most people thought this law was cruel. Valentine, who was a minister, did not support the new law.

Even after Emperor Claudius passed the law, he kept performing marriage ceremonies secretly. One night he was caught and thrown in jail and told he would be put to death.

Many young people came to visit Valentine. One was the daughter of the prison guard. On the day of his death Valentine wrote a note to the daughter signed “Love from your Valentine”. This was on February 14, 269 A. D.

Some say this started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine’s Day. Thanks to Arthur Community site for the story.

So there you go. I bet there are still many other stories dedicated to Saint Valentine which I am unaware of.

However, what I have chosen to believe in is this: Why wait for the 14^th of February or any month for that matter to do whatever you are going to do for your partner. So why spend a fortune on that day only? So what happens on the 15^th hehn?

In the U.K and America, a fortune is made and lost on this day.

How, you may ask?

Shops customise every item to reflect Valentine, applying fancy marketing gimmicks millions fall for. In the process loose (oh sorry, spend) a fortune on gifts that would either go unappreciated, undeserved, risked, even half heartedly appreciated or better still appreciated on the 14^th.

My point? It costs a fortune and according to the Telegraph.co.uk, an estimated 1 billion St Valentine’s Day cards will be sent worldwide this year, making it the second most card-heavy celebration after Christmas.

For your information, the retail market love these dedicated days. Valentine is the first of many to come. Correct me if I am wrong, we still have the following to come not in the following order though:

• Easter
  
• Mother’s Day
  
• Father’s Day
  
• May Day
  
• Thanks Giving Day
  
• Christmas
  
• Boxing Day (what on earth does this mean? Anybody?)
  
• Countless Birthdays of friends and family
  
• Muslim festivals
  
• Spring Holiday
  
• Summer Holidays
  
• etc
  

Wifey knows how much I care and love her (oh no, I am not in any way preparing an excuse. Trust me.). She also knows that after the 14^th of February, my love for her would neither diminish or increase.

Having said all that, I will like to take this opportunity to wish YOU……..a Happy Sunday

…..got ya…lollllll

Have a Happy one.

God bless.