A Brief History of Valentine’s Day
According to the History Channel, the history of this day of romance is murky, but it contains traces of both ancient Roman religions and early Christianity. There are several legends about who St. Valentine was: our favorite is that he was a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s decree that, since single men made better soldiers, young men were not allowed to marry. The priest married young lovers in secret until he was caught and put to death. Or, as another legend has it, while Valentine was in prison, he fell in love with a young girl, to whom he wrote the ancient equivalent of love letters, signing them, ‘from Your Valentine.”
In the middle ages, it was believed that February 14th was the beginning of the bird mating season (how, I wonder, could they be sure?) which contributed to the idea that this was a day for romance.
By the middle of the 17th century Valentine’s Day was popular in Great Britain, giving the stoic Britons an opportunity to express their feelings at least one day a year. Americans followed suit probably in the beginning of the 18th century. For you trivia buffs, the first American mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards were produced by Esther A. Howland in the 1840’s.
According to the Greeting Card Association, one billion valentine cards are sent each year, approximately 85% purchased by women. (Why does that not surprise us?) To lean more about early American Valentine’s Day cards, take a look at the American Antiquarian.