Valentine's Day is Right Around the Corner—But, Have You Ever Wondered Why It's Celebrated?

With 14th February on the horizon, all you lovebirds must be in the midst of Valentine's Day preparations; a candlelit gourmet dinner, a relaxing spa day, or maybe even a quick weekend getaway. The 'Day of Love' is about expressing your affection for one another—throw in a few thoughtful gifts, and take things up a notch!

But ever wondered how, and where, it all began? 

Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated on 14th February each year. It originated as a Christian feast day honouring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance across the globe. 

As the belief goes, Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer and wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell before his execution. Another theory posits that Saint Valentine performed weddings for Christian soldiers who were forbidden to marry. But it was only during the 14th and 15th centuries that the day become associated with romantic love—in association with the 'lovebirds' of early spring, and  'courtly love', a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasised nobility and chivalry. 

In AD 496, the Feast of Saint Valentine was established by Pope Gelasius I, to be celebrated on 14th February, in honour of Saint Valentine of Rome, who died on that date in AD 269. It was through the exchange of flowers, confectionery, and greeting cards that the day was celebrated in 18th century England. On the other hand, in Italy, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver's heart. 

In India, in antiquity, the tradition of adoring Kamadeva, the lord of love, was followed—exemplified by the erotic carvings in the Khajuraho Group of Monuments and by the writings of the Kamasutra. The age-old tradition, however, lost significance around the Middle Ages, when public displays of sexual affection became frowned upon. 

It wasn't until 1992, post-liberalisation and globalisation, that people really began to catch onto the concept of Valentine's Day once again, as an occasion to celebrate, and honour, love. Traditionalists argued that the celebration was the direct result of cultural contamination by the West, and while it may have been, the annual event gained ever-more popularity. To date, Valentine's Day is celebrated through the exchange of romantic gifts and other passionate gestures.

What have you got planned for your lover this year?