Valentine's Day card
See all media
Category:
- Also called:
- St. Valentine’s Day
- Related Topics:
- floral decoration
- candy
- Lupercalia
- February
- valentine
See all related content →
Recent News
Feb. 8, 2024, 9:21 AM ET (The Hill)
Almost half say inflation affecting Valentine’s Day plans: Survey
Feb. 6, 2024, 11:37 PM ET (Yahoo News)
Airline is offering $99 flights to Iceland for Valentine's Day
Feb. 6, 2024, 12:29 AM ET (Yahoo News)
Happy Valentine's Day, space fans: Intuitive Machines, SpaceX target moon mission lift off on Feb 14
Feb. 4, 2024, 10:02 PM ET (Yahoo News)
Want to spread love this Valentine's Day? Illinois state senators suggest writing a senior
Feb. 4, 2024, 5:29 AM ET (Globe and Mail)
This Valentine's Day, Labrador's north coast may not have any fresh flowers for sale
Top Questions
What is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is a holiday when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. It is also called St. Valentine’s Day. The holiday has expanded to express affection between relatives and friends.
When is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day is celebrated annually on February 14.
Who is Valentine’s Day named for?
Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, Valentine’s Day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the Roman emperor Claudius II Gothicus. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible that the two saints were actually one person.
Where is Valentine’s Day celebrated?
Valentine’s Day is popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea. In the Philippines, it is the most common wedding anniversary.
How is Valentine’s Day celebrated?
Valentine’s Day is commonly celebrated by exchanging handmade or store-bought “Valentines” (greeting cards) or other tokens of affection like chocolates and flowers. In many schools, it has become customary for young students to bring in Valentines to swap with classmates.Traditions of the holiday’s observance can vary with the country. Learn more.
Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I forbid the celebration of Lupercalia and is sometimes attributed with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century.
Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 ce by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus. According to legend, the priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saints were actually one person. Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.
Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used. The first commercial valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s. Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birds also became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love.
The day is popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea. In the Philippines it is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are not uncommon on that date. The holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
About Me: I am an expert in various topics, including history, technology, science, and more. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide detailed insights and assistance on a variety of subjects. My knowledge is based on a diverse set of sources, including academic papers, reputable websites, and news articles. I can help answer questions, provide explanations, and engage in discussions on a wide range of topics.
Valentine's Day: Valentine's Day, also known as St. Valentine's Day, is a holiday celebrated annually on February 14. It is a day when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. The holiday has expanded to include expressions of affection between relatives and friends. Traditionally, Valentine's Day is celebrated by exchanging handmade or store-bought "Valentines" (greeting cards) or other tokens of affection like chocolates and flowers. The day is popular in the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, Argentina, France, Mexico, South Korea, and the Philippines, where it is the most common wedding anniversary. The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which celebrated the coming of spring and included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. Pope Gelasius I is sometimes attributed with replacing Lupercalia with St. Valentine's Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best. The holiday did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. The day is associated with the exchange of formal messages, or valentines, and traditional gifts such as candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love. Many schoolchildren also exchange valentines with one another on this day.
Floral Decoration: Floral decoration is often associated with Valentine's Day, as flowers, particularly red roses, are traditional gifts exchanged on this occasion. The exchange of flowers is a common expression of affection and love during the holiday.
Candy: Candy is another traditional gift exchanged on Valentine's Day. It is a sweet and popular token of affection given to loved ones during the holiday.
Lupercalia: Valentine's Day has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was held in mid-February. The festival celebrated the coming of spring and included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. Pope Gelasius I is sometimes attributed with replacing Lupercalia with St. Valentine's Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best.
February: Valentine's Day is celebrated annually on February 14. The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was also held in mid-February to celebrate the coming of spring.
Public Speaking: Public speaking involves the face-to-face attempt to inform, persuade, or entertain a group of people through words, physical delivery, and visual or audio aids. It is important to establish credibility in a speech to increase both the audience's engagement and the speaker's subject level authority. Building credibility helps gain trust and boost impact. Audience analysis is crucial in public speaking, involving identifying the audience and adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs. Taking an audience-centered approach is important because a speaker's effectiveness will be improved if the presentation is created and delivered in an appropriate manner. It is also essential to engage the audience while public speaking .
Inflation Affecting Valentine’s Day Plans: According to a survey, almost half of the respondents say that inflation is affecting their Valentine’s Day plans. This indicates that economic factors can impact the way people celebrate Valentine's Day.
SpaceX Target Moon Mission Lift Off on Feb 14: Intuitive Machines and SpaceX are targeting a moon mission lift off on February 14, which coincides with Valentine's Day. This event may be of interest to space enthusiasts and those looking for unique ways to celebrate the holiday.
Writing a Senior for Valentine's Day: Illinois state senators have suggested writing a senior as a way to spread love on Valentine's Day. This initiative reflects a thoughtful and compassionate approach to celebrating the holiday by reaching out to seniors in the community.
Fresh Flowers Shortage on Valentine's Day: An article mentions that on Valentine's Day, Labrador's north coast may not have any fresh flowers for sale. This shortage may impact the availability of traditional gifts such as flowers during the holiday.
I hope this information provides a comprehensive understanding of the concepts related to Valentine's Day and public speaking. If you have any further questions or need more details on any specific topic, feel free to ask!
