Valentines Day

Often this day is referred to as nothing more than a Hallmark Holiday invented to give the cardmakers, jewelers, candymakers and florists more business like Sweetest day, and while today a 14 billion dollar holiday in good years that's not really the case as there are really some valid although somewhat murky reasons and history behind the day. So here is a brief rundown of that history by me, then a video from History.com and some more slightly different of a narrative I picked up the from History Channel's website/

History says the holiday grew from a pagan festival to Christian celebration in AD 496,when Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day into the expensive secular jewelry, candy and flower fest of today. The video below is a pretty good 5 minute history lesson that jives with what I learned about the day, so take a peek if you care .

So here's a Happy Valentines day to you and your loved one or partner if you have one, and for those who don't look at it this way, you get to save some money today as the rest of us fork over in many cases serious dough for a day not being Christmas or a birthday of your significant other.

History of Valentine's Day
Valentines Day : Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?

The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

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