For centuries Valentines Day has been the center of love and affection, with small gifts and tokens of affection passing back and forth between lovers and loved ones. But very few people know the real history of Valentines Day. Even though we now associate the holiday with love, cupids, and fanciful dreams of romance, the truth is that February 14th holds far deeper and far older traditions than one might originally think.

St. Valentine

If one looks back into historical texts of the Catholic Church, they will find that the actual history of Valentines Day revolves around the day when a saint by the name of Valentine was martyred for his faith. Apparently, Valentine was killed when he dared to defy the Roman Emperor Claudius II, and performed secret marriages for young lovers.

Other accounts claim that St. Valentine was killed when he helped Christians escape from the clutches of Roman inquisitors who were torturing and killing prisoners. Another interesting thing to note about the history of Valentines Day is that the Catholic Church actually recognizes eleven different saints named Valentine, and three of them share February 14 as their day of recognition.

Chaucer, Love Birds, and the Middle Ages

The first time in the history of Valentines Day that love and lovers are actually associated with the day is during the Middle Ages in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. After the famous writer mentioned the two love birds that represented the engagement of the young king Richard II to his young bride to be, Anne of Bohemia.

After this first association of love in the history of Valentines Day, the idea quickly grew popular. By the 17th century, it had become custom for young lovers to exchange small tokens and hand written love notes with each other. By the 18th century, greeting cards began to be commercially produced just for the holiday; and by the middle of the 19th century, retailers began offering special gifts for young men to present to the ladies they were suiting.

Although the history of Valentines Day isn’t necessarily as romantic as we are led to believe, the fact remains that it has become one of the most popular, and commercially profitable, holidays ever. Today, men often present their wives and girlfriends with chocolates, flowers, and cards; and the day has come to be associated with the highest number of marriage proposals than any other. One fact remains true regardless of the actual history of Valentines Day - and that is the fact that this is the one day of the year when people feel the most able to express their feelings of affection for one another.

The answer to any question regarding how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France is that the occasion gives rise to much joy as well as plenty of enthusiasm and it is one day in the year when the French do not hold back in being able to profess their love for those who are close to them, and much like in other countries all around the world, the French too exchange Valentine’s Day greeting cards and also give fresh flowers as well as gifts for anyone whom they love.

The Time Of Year When Birds Begin Mating Activities

The reason why the French are very enthusiastic about celebrating Valentine’s Day is that there is a strong association with this day with France, and also because originally the French as well as British people believed that during the month of February birds began their mating activities, and thus it greatly influenced how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France. For this reason the French considered St. Valentine’s Day to be a special day and thus they began to exchange gifts and love letters and also began to show their love for others.

In fact, the way that how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France was also greatly influenced by fourteenth and fifteenth French poets who stressed on the idea of love on Valentine’s Day and thus a romantic image was formed about this day that has stayed in the minds of the French population even up to these modern times.

In fact, the French are generally also credited with conceiving of the idea of Valentine’s Day cards and another noteworthy aspect as to how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France is that a particular custom known as “drawing for” is typically French in which unmarried youth as well as the elderly would go to houses facing their own and call out across to find a partner with whom they would then be paired off, though of course it did not always lead to romance.

Yet another feature of how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France is that of lighting a bonfire in which ladies burnt the images of unfaithful lovers and they also proceeded to hurl many choice abuses at these unfaithful wretches. However, when this ritual crossed the boundaries of decency, it was finally abandoned and it has also even been officially banned by the French government.

Another custom that plays a part in influencing how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in France is that of exchanging very elegant cards that contained messages professing love for the recipient and these messages are termed as “cartes d’amities” though it must be said that this tradition is not really French and in fact originated in England where it was very popular.

Symbols of love and Valentine’s Day are all around us.  Though they become more prominent around February 14, it is possible to see them any time of the year.  Most people are aware of what symbolizes love and Valentine’s Day; yet, they have no idea how these icons came to represent these concepts.

Knowing why Valentine’s Day is represented by symbols like roses, hearts, and lace will help you to appreciate the holiday that much more—and it will make you appreciate the next display of affection someone has for you that much more.

All You Need Is Love

One of the most common symbols of Valentine’s Day is the heart.  Long ago, it was believed that all human emotions came from the heart.  Thus, when a heart was given to someone else, it meant that they were giving all of themselves to that person.  Though it is now known that the brain controls emotions, the symbol has remained throughout the years.

Lace and ribbon are also commonly associated with Valentine’s Day.  At first glance, it is difficult to see what correlation lace and ribbon have with Valentine’s Day.  The fact that these items are very feminine makes them a symbol of love and Valentine’s Day.  In medieval times, knights carried a lace handkerchief given to them by their loved one when going into battle. 

Flowers, but more specifically the rose, have also long been a symbol of Valentine’s Day.  The word “rose,” when rearranged is the word “eros,” which is the god of love and the root word for the word “erotic.”  In poetry and literature, lovers are often compared to roses.  Though most commonly thought of as being red, the different colors of roses symbolize different emotions.  For example, a lavender rose symbolizes enchantment, while a dark pink rose symbolizes friendship.  A red love symbolizes love, courage, and respect.

Have you ever heard a couple referred to as being “love birds?”  That’s because love birds and doves are another common icon of Valentine’s Day.  An ancient myth states that birds choose their mates on February 14.  Doves mate for life, making them a romanticized bird, and lovebirds are known for being touchy and dependant on their mate.

A Meaningful Expression

Simply being aware of symbols is not enough.  In order to fully appreciate them, it is necessary to understand where they came from.  Roses, lace, lovebirds, and hearts will are well known to most—but now you know their underlying meaning.