Every year as the first month of the new year comes to a close, an exciting and heartfelt holiday approaches: St. Valentine’s Day is a holiday, celebrated for centuries, shrouded in romance and love. The true origin and creator behind the holiday remains a mystery, however, there are Christian and Roman roots. The Catholic church recognized at least three St. Valentines who became martyrs in the third century A.D.; one of the legends claims that Valentine was a priest in Rome. The emperor Claudius II at that time had decided to outlaw marriage amongst young men since single men made better soldiers than those with families. Valentine, however, decided to continue and carry out marriages. The emperor found out, and had him executed. Others insist that the origin of Valentine’s day comes from St. Valentine of Interamna, a bishop who was also beheaded during Claudius II’s reign for renouncing his faith and converting new followers to the Catholic church.
Some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 to commemorate St. Valentine’s burial. Others think that they chose mid-February for the feast day of St. Valentine to Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival in Rome that involved the sacrificing of a goat and using it to bless women and crop fields with the hide, but the tradition died down as it became too violent. Additionally, during the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that Feb. 14 was the day of mating for birds, adding to the idea that Valentine’s Day was meant for a celebration of romance.
The oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem by Charles, Duke of Orleans, written to his wife in 1415 while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Cupids and cherubs originated from Eros, the God of love in Greek mythology, the latter being symbols of Valentine’s Day, shooting arrows at unsuspecting lovers to make them fall head-over-heels. Nowadays, pink, red and white decorations embody “love is in the air” for this sweet day. Elementary schools gear up for Valentine’s Day parties, filled with food, cards and candy. In high schools, many student governments run Valentine’s Day candy grams, where students can send notes to a friend—or their special someone—accompanied by a sweet treat. Families may go out for Valentine’s Day dinners to exchange cards, or even small gifts.
The real highlight of Valentine’s Day—the reason for the buzz around “Feb. 14”—is because it is the day dedicated to love and romantic partners! Expecting a Valentine’s themed surprise gift from your boyfriend or girlfriend is not unusual and is often expected. Many couples go on dinner dates or plan other special outings for Valentine’s Day. Gifts such as jewelry, heart chocolates, homemade crafts, flower bouquets, stuffed animals, and balloons can all be expressions of the affection that people have for each other.
At Northwest High School, the class SGA hosts cookie decorating competitions, their garden club hosts a flower sale, and their Jag (the Northwest mascot) crashes classes to hand out chocolate and candy. Junior Zaire Hewlett said, “It’s a great way for students to connect with each other, not just romantically but platonically, and at Northwest we don’t focus on only romantic relationships, but the celebration of kindness, friendship and self love, making it inclusive for all students and staff.”
As Hewlett mentioned, Valentine’s Day can also be a day to celebrate familial and platonic love. A common tradition among friend groups is to host a Galentine’s. A Galentine’s is a get-together with female friends, hence the “Gal” in Galentine’s, where they celebrate, take pictures, eat food and make crafts or do other activities together. A tradition and trend like this encourages the celebration of not just romantic love, but love between friends.
When hosting a Galentine’s, friends often discuss beforehand: costs, decorations and foods that they will bring. Clarksburg sophomore Aria Monte hosted a Galentine’s last year, and she and her friends decided to have a potluck. “Having a Galentine’s is so special because it brings girls together and it’s an excuse to dress up, take pictures, and just have fun,” Monte said.
The Valentine’s Day themed crafts that girls can do together at these gatherings are also very special. “My favorite part of our Galentine‘s from last year is that we did some fun Valentine’s Day themed crafts. We made paintings,” Richard Montgomery sophomore Lily Heitzmann said. “I liked that we had a little photo background and we got to take cute photos together.” Many girls enjoy posting Instagram photos, and a Galentine’s is the perfect photo opportunity. “I think it brings people together because it lets you celebrate Valentine’s Day even if you don’t have a Valentine, and you get to spend it with your friends doing fun activities that can bring you closer together,” Heitzmann said. Galentine’s allow girls who may not have a romantic partner to enjoy the holiday as well.
However, Galentine’s aren’t restricted to those without valentines. Thomas S. Wootton junior Haile Ma and Richard Montgomery sophomore Alona Aharonovich mentioned that alongside hosting a Galentine’s, they will be going out with their boyfriends too. One-on-one dates with romantic partners can be intimidating, stereotypically Valentine’s Day dates are fancy candlelit dinners at expensive restaurants. Walter Johnson senior Parker Cho said, “I’m planning on cooking something for [his girlfriend] and we are gonna have dinner together.” Something small like cooking the dinner yourselves adds a personal touch and more warmth to the meal. “Valentine’s Day is exciting because you get to celebrate a relationship that you both put in effort to maintain. It serves as a reminder of your guys’ hard work and care for each other,” Cho said.
Other couples may opt for something more fun and lighthearted. Magruder sophomore Max Moore will be spending Valentine’s Day with his boyfriend over for a movie night. Aharonovich is thinking about going to an arcade with her boyfriend as well, and Ma might go painting, clay making, or have a nice dinner. Going somewhere fun and exciting, or experiencing something thrilling together can deepen connections and just be a way to spend time, a day dedicated to someone you love. All of these cute fun dates make Valentine’s day feel low pressure but still enjoyable.
Other aspects of Valentine’s day that people enjoy are gifts. Richard Montgomery freshman Garrett Conley says that he enjoys chocolate the most during Valentines day. Certainly the influx of candy is exciting for those who may have a sweet tooth. Others enjoy sentimental gifts such as teddy bears. Aharonovich said, “Something I’ve always really loved is that my mom buys my sister and I a teddy bear and chocolates every year on Valentine’s Day. I just always thought that was so sweet cause like we’re her little Valentines, so I have all the teddy bears that she’s given me over the years and I just think it’s it’s probably one of the best things about Valentine’s Day for me is waking up to little teddy bear on my bed from my mom.” Gifts from family can also represent how Valentine’s Day celebrates familial love as well. For people like Aharonovich, Valentine’s day holds value in celebration of romantic, familial and platonic love.
Of all the holidays—from New Years, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter—that occur early in the year, Valentine’s Day is surely the most lighthearted and special day of them all. A holiday in celebration of love can also be a reminder on how to treat the ones closest to us; love should be celebrated, never shunned, and a holiday to celebrate that is unique and precious.
Written by Ellyn Kim
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons