The Meaning Behind Why We Celebrate Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that can often cause a lot of controversy. There are several camps of thought behind it: some hate it, some love it, some are on the fence.

It’s become popularised by card companies and brands, but there’s actually quite a dark history around the day.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

We’re led to believe that we celebrate it for the sake of celebrating love, but actually it’s widely believed to have originated from ancient Rome.

Originally named ‘the feast of Lupercalia’, the celebrations would run from 13-15 February and it’s claimed the festival attracted a lot of “drunk, naked people”. Young newlywed women would line up to be whipped in order to try and improve their fertility.

The fete also included a matchmaking lottery where men picked women’s names from a jar. Following that, they would be coupled up for the rest of the event, according to NPR.

I think worth getting a mention in here about Saint Valentine and that story to explain where the name comes from. https://www.countrylife.co.uk/comment-opinion/legend-and-legacy-of-st-valentine-46542

How did Valentine’s Day evolve?

As the day grew more widely known, traditions began to change a little bit – the celebrations became softer, less vicious and more about love. So much so, that Shakespeare began to mention the day in his works.

Shakespeare specifically references the holiday in Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was known for including cultural phenomena of the times in his work. 

In 1913, Hallmark really capitalised on the holiday and started mass-producing cards, which helped propel the day into what it has become today.

Valentine’s Day traditions from across the globe

In modern times, an average of £1.5billion is spent annually on the holiday, working out at an average of £52 per person, according to Finder.

The day is celebrated differently across the world. In Brazil, February 15 is actually known as Lover’s Day, which people mark tby going out for dinner.

In the Czech Republic, Valentine’s Day is known as ‘The Day of Love’ and is celebrated on May 1. People traditionally will visit the statue of Czech poet Karel Hynek Macha and share a kiss there for good luck.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, family and friends will exchange letters – often, not very serious ones!

Whether you love celebrating love, or think the day is too commercialised, at least you now know where it all began...