Watch out for Cupid’s flying arrows, because love is in the air! It’s that time of year again, and we here at KaBloom are working hard to make sure that we have the best flowers to tell that special someone how much they mean to you! You see roses, hearts, and candy everywhere. But, do you ever wonder where Valentine’s Day came from? Well, we’ve got you covered, but there are some twists and turns you’ll probably be pretty surprised about!
The man behind it all, Saint Valentine, has a confusing history. Everyone agrees that he was a sympathetic and heroic man, and nobody doubts that he is associated with romance. Some say he helped Christians escape from ancient Roman prisons. Others say he would wed young couples in secret after the Roman emperor, who believed single men made better soldiers, outlawed marriage. Ultimately, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death, and this is where one of the most romantic parts comes! Supposedly, Valentine fell in love with the guard’s daughter, and in his final letter to her before his death, he signed it “From Your Valentine”. Now that is where the phrase comes from!
People dispute why February 14th is used as Valentine’s Day. Some say that this is the day Valentine was executed. Others say that it was chosen because the date is close to a traditional holiday. Strangely enough, some people believed that February 14th was close to when mating season begins for birds, which centuries ago was associated with romance!
During the Middle Ages, people began to associate the holiday with romance. Rumor has it that Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem that first connected Valentine’s Day with love, and after that, everyone followed! People began to write poems and letters as declarations of love, and it became more and more popular. In the 17th Century, Great Britain fell in love with the tradition, and over the next century, people began to send small gifts and handwritten notes to both their loves and their friends! It soon soared across the pond and rose in popularity in the United States.
In 1913, Hallmark printed the first Valentine’s Day card, which started the commercialization of the holiday. It was so easy for people to sell these cards because postage was so cheap, and it also made it much easier for a secret admirer to send notes to their special someone without getting too nervous! Now, over one billion cards are sold for Valentine’s Day, making it the second most popular card holiday (after Christmas).
There’s so much more to Valentine’s Day than just a card and flowers! Does knowing the journey that the holiday took to become what it is today make you think any differently? We know that it’s always been an important day, so we want to make sure that your flowers for that special someone are just as special! Check back soon for updates, and learn why we celebrate Valentine’s Day the way we do!
