February: The Month of Love & Romance

Love and Romance as you know the 14th February is Valentine’s Day where we all celebrate with our loved ones.

“Think February and you automatically think Valentine’s Day!”

February 14th is Valentine’s Day, the day that is designated to celebrate our love to the special people in our lives. February is noted as the month of Love and Romance. It is the month interconnected with Valentine’s Day celebrations.It’s the day when people express their love, affection; rekindle romance and friendship with their special Valentine, the love of their life by sending gifts, flowers, cards, or chocolates with messages of love, and other lovely gifts.

Every year, the 14th day of February has millions across the world expressing love & affection to their loved ones.Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love and friendship and the joy of having other people in the life. It is celebrated in many ways worldwide. Many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special “valentine.” February 14th is a day dedicated to lovers all across the world. It is a day when people shower feelings of love, affection, and friendship on their loved ones.

History of Valentine’s Day and Why Is Valentine’s Day on February 14?

The origins of Valentine’s Day are not clear till date but according to many theories, it is believed that Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine.He served as a priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. It started with the clash between a kindly priest, St. Valentine and a mighty Emperor named Claudius II.

As per one of the theories, St. Valentine was a Roman priest who served during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II had outlawed to prevent the marriage of the Roman soldiers because he thought that married men were bad soldiers. St. Valentine felt this was unjust, so he broke the rules and began to marry these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love.

Finally, Valentine was found out and thrown in the penitentiary and sentenced to death. While imprisoned, he had fallen in love with the jailer’s blind daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed “From your Valentine”. After this happening, Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270.

How did Valentine’s Day start?

To have a particular Valentine’s Day is a very old tradition, thought to have started from a Roman festival known as Lupercalia, celebrated on February 15 – officially the beginning of their springtime. It’s thought that as part of the celebrations, Roman boys would choose a partner by drawing the name of a girl from a box or urn. They would be boyfriend and girlfriend during the festival celebrations and would exchange gifts or it may even result in marriage.

Afterward, the church wanted to turn this festival into a Christian celebration and decided to use it to memorize St Valentine too.

Gradually, St Valentine’s name initiated to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved on this day, 14th February.

Valentine’s Day in America (US)

Valentine’s Day is a very trendy festival in the United States of America. US people observe a holiday on this day to tribute St. Valentine and express their feelings of love to their loved ones.

The History of Valentine day in the USA

Valentine’s Day is said to have introduced to North America in the 19th century by British settlers. Though mass-produced valentine cards did not appear in the United States until the mid-19th century, handmade valentines were exchanged as early as the Revolutionary War Shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts.

In the mid of the 20th century, the practice of giving gifts along with cards became popular. Roses and chocolates were the most commonly exchanged Valentine’s Day Gifts and were usually given by man to the woman. In 1980’s diamond industry began to promote Valentine’s Day as an occasion to gift fine jewelry. Today, the day has recognized to be associated with a generic platonic greeting of “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Valentine’s Day Celebration in the USA

Valentine’s Day festival has been commercialized to a great extent in the US. It is estimated that Valentine’s Day is the major card and gift giving festival in the US. Days before the festival celebration, Markets wear a cheerful look to attract customers. Popular gifts exchanged on the day include cards, fresh flowers – mainly red rose, chocolates, and candies.

Valentine’s Day parties are organized all over the country to celebrate the occasion. Many couples do private celebrations in homes or restaurants.Many of them may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or hotel. One more interesting thing in the US is the celebrations planned by kids. Many schools organize Valentine’s Day stage programmes where children get performed songs, dance, skits, and plays. Children also exchange gifts and cards to their friends and teachers.

Valentine Day and Its Popularity among Indian

The land of India is popular as a culture filled with ancient traditions. There are several western worlds’ ideals that are disagreed with the Indian culture. The Valentine’s Day celebrations are recognized to clash with India’s traditional religious background. Only in the recent times, Valentine’s Day has become widely recognized in India.

The day of love and romance soon volunteered on the Indian land and people here too started following the day. A few days before the 14th February, shops wear a cheerful look to attract customers. Popular gifts exchanged like red heart-shaped balloons, teddy bears, chocolates, love mementos and statues of Cupid to their loved ones. This celebration of love is observed by the young generation with a lot of enthusiasm. Very similar to most people in the world, people of India, particularly young couples, celebrate this day in a major way. They dress in fine clothing and spent quality of time with each other.

Symbols

(Symbols of Love to be exchanged to their loved one)

Valentine’s Day is the hub of love, romance, appreciation, and friendship. The most common Valentine’s Day symbols are the heart, the colors in red and pink, and pictures or statues of cupids. Cupid as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow represent the feeling of romance and love on Valentine’s Day. In mythology, People who have fallen in love are sometimes said to be “struck by Cupid’s arrow.” Other symbols of Valentine’s Day are couples in the loving hug and the gifts of flowers, chocolate, red roses and lingerie that couples often give each other.

Quick Facts

Valentine’s Day is a special time to celebrate love, romance, and friendship.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2018: Upcoming date to celebrate Valentine day

38 countries – Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Colombia – Saturday, September 15, 2018

Happy Valentine’s Day: Tell everyone in your heart how much they mean to you. And remember when you sign those cards how love and friendship live on. So, Bring in the day of love with your loved ones and make it memorable for the lifetime.