Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one for tacky gifts like cuddly toys, yuck! However I do like the tradition of Valentine’s Day, and letting my boyfriend know I love him by sending a card.
I also happen to love history, so I couldn’t help but wonder... What the heck is Valentine’s Day actually all about?!? Who actually was St Valentine? And why do we spend millions of pounds every February 14th in this country buying into the commercialised idea of ‘Valentine’s Day’...
St Valentine
St Valentine, it is believed, is actually a fusion of several Early Christian Martyrs known as ‘Valentine’. One depiction of Valentine is famous for attempting to convert a Roman Emperor to Christianity... He was sentenced to death. However before his death, he is said to have healed the blind daughter of his gaoler.
Another tale states that Valentine is believed to have been a priest, who disobeyed the Roman law that young men should remain single, (as this made them better soldiers,) by marrying young Roman soldiers in secret to their sweethearts.
‘St Valentine’ was later associated with romance by the Poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who was asked to write a poem to celebrate the marriage of his King, Richard II.
In the ancient world, February was traditionally viewed as the month associated with fertility and union. In 15th century France, the ‘High Court of Love’ was established on February 14th, which dealt with acts of betrayal and violence against women. So this may give us some clues as to where the date of Valentine’s Day emerged from…
The tradition of sending Valentine’s cards to a sweetheart began in the 18th Century, when young men would often send handmade love tokens to their loved one. As postage became cheaper throughout the Victorian era the popularity of sending cards increased.
Roses are red, violets are blue, from myself and everyone at TAAS…
Happy Valentine’s Day to you!
Find out more about The Air Ambulance Service's Love Is In The Air appeal.
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