Every year, couples around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day, and this celebration hails back to at least the 5th century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day. Who was Saint Valentine? There are three potential saints who might be linked to this holiday, but many of us favor one particular legend:
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. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
“Valentine’s Day 2024: Origins, Background & Traditions.” History.com, January 19, 2024. https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2.
On top of that, back in those Middle Ages, “it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance.”
Now, some point out that the holiday may have been introduced to counteract or subsume the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, but let’s face it: by now, your average person has zero idea what Lupercalia is but certainly knows about Valentine’s Day. So I’m not bothered that the dates overlapped at some point or that the choice of date to celebrate St. Valentine might have involved practical considerations.
What I definitely like about the legend of St. Valentine’s is the emphasis not merely on romance but on marriage—the relationship that should include a lifetime of romance. You know, in between paying bills, doing laundry, and cleaning up after your kids. But that romance stuff can make the more boring stuff more doable.
With all that in mind, today I wanted to provide readers a quick-and-easy way to access my Valentine’s Day ideas. With quite a few posts, you may want to scroll through and look at titles before deciding which ones to click!
Remember my caveat, though: If Valentine’s Day is important to your spouse, it should be important to you…because your spouse is important.
If Valentine’s Day is important to your spouse, it should be important to you…because your spouse is important.
How We Think About Valentine’s Day
Gift Ideas
What to Do for Valentine’s Day
And For the Ultimate V-Day Gift…
That’s it! Maybe you can see why I didn’t write another ideas post this year. I have so many already! Best wishes celebrating in the way that you and your spouse do.
