By Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on the 14th of February.
Looking back, it was widely celebrated at first in the United States. Gradually, due to the exportation of culture and practices, it is now celebrated enthusiastically all over the world.
It is a symbol of love and understanding for young couples as well as the married couples of varied ages. It was proclaimed as St. Valentine’s Day after 200 years of the death of the priest St. Valentine.
It is celebrated as a feast day on the Catholic Calendar of Saints. He became the representation of Romantic love.
It is believed that in the past people used to read different romantic poetry and play flirtatious games on the 14th of February. On Valentine’s Day the practice of sending messages of love changed into the practice of people sending their lovers some special cards expressing their love for him/her.
It is usually hand-made and customized with affection so, that the receiver understands its worth. In the past, the content of the letter was usually written in verse appreciating their lover.
Even pictures of cupid, heart symbols, and flowers were also sent back in the day but now it has modernized to a week-long festival with lovers celebrating Valentine’s Day each day with a different name until Valentine’s Day strikes.
Myths Involving Valentine’s Day:
Valentine’s Day is believed to be evolved from Rome. It goes back to the days of St. Valentine is a person shrouded in mystery and numerous stories.
There is no proof of the reality in the stories but one of the myths about St. Valentine is that he is assumed to be a priest who secretly kept on marrying young couples on the regime of Emperor Claudius II when the King had strictly announced that young, single people were perfect for military and warfare so, they cannot get married.
Hence, marriage was outlawed. Valentine thought that it was really unfair to young, single people to go to war and not enjoy life. So, he helped lovers to unite secretly. But as he went against the king and defied him, Emperor Claudius II ordered to kill St. Valentine. After that day, he was taken as the symbol of love.
Another story involves St. Valentine of Terni who was a Bishop and was also beheaded outside Rome by Emperor Claudius II due to some reasons which are unclear but as both of these people were killed during the rule of Claudius II, it is believed that they were the same people.
The next one, suggests that Valentine might have been killed when he was caught helping Christians to flee from Roman cells. According to old legends, it is believed that imprisoned Valentine had first sent the “Valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with the young girl who was the jailor’s daughter. Before he was killed, he had sent a letter to her expressing love and affection and at the end, it was written: “From your Valentine” which is a commonly used term between the lovers these days.
We do not know which of these legends is true but there is one thing for a fact that, whoever the person St. Valentine was, he was really a heroic and revolutionary figure who sacrificed his life for a chance. Now, he is celebrated as a romantic figure.
How Valentine’s Day is Celebrated in Current Scenario:
Each and everything is modernized and lavish. People are finding more ways to be extravagant. So, here are some of the ways people are celebrating Valentine’s Day these days.
1.Celebrate Valentine’s week:
Valentine’s week is celebrated from the 7th of February to 14th of February. It can also be noted as a way to spend unnecessarily. The first-day remarks as Rose day then comes Propose day, Chocolate day, Teddy day, Promise day, Hug day, Kiss day, and finally resulting in Valentine’s Day.
2.Rent a boy/girlfriend for a day:
In many countries around the globe, there’s a strange trend where you can rent a person who can pretend to behave like a loved one and shower you with affection for a day. It is a very famous trend in China and Japan. They might ask you to pay hourly or on a daily basis. But there is no kind of sexual activities involved. They allow single hugs, shopping, going on arcades, and other such fun activities for a certain amount.
3.Sending gifts online:
As people are getting more familiar with technology and e-commerce, they have started to send each other gifts through online sites. It has started to get more feasible with the young generation.
4.Growth of business:
When the consumer is spending lavishly then it will obviously mileage the merchant. The same is the case for the business platforms.
From selling numerous flowers to gifts many kinds of small to big businesses flourish during Valentine’s phase. Even greeting cards, chocolates, and teddy bears view a huge growth in sales which impacts the economy. Even restaurants and hotels view a huge uplift in their business. It has also led to employment opportunities for many people and has been a reason to put up a smile on the face of small-scale business outlets. If we view in an optimistic way then it is a joyous time for couples as well as different business related to it.
Photo by RODNAE Productions
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