Have you ever wondered where some of our holidays had their start? their beginning roots? With Valentine's Day tomorrow, and everyone speaking of their great "plans" for the "big day," for the sales of cards, candy, and flowers, where did it all begin?
After "Googling," I've come up with some "interesting" facts, nothing I had really ever heard of before. The cutesy, fuzzy-warm-feelings holiday we have today, started out as quite a naked raucous event!
According to the National Geographic website, Valentine's Day originates back to an annual Roman holiday in which men stripped naked, grabbed dog or goat skinned whips, and spanked the young maidens with hopes of increasing their fertility. The celebration was called "Lupercalia, and was held each year on February 15. It was considered a pagan celebration, and continued on very popular for many years, even after Christianity became the official religion of Roman Empire and tried to close the celebration down. In a sort of "if you can beat 'em, join 'em" move, the church later pegged the festival to the legend of St. Valentine.
Accordingly, in the 3rd century AD, Roman Emperor Claudius II forebade young men to marry in order to strengthen his army. Valentine, however, ignored the ban and secretly performed marriages. Because of this, Valentine was executed on February 14 of the year 270 AD. We don't know for sure if this is true or not, but it has become a favored version. Valentine's Day is now a very big economic boom for retailers today, generating some $15 billion in sales in the U.S.
So, what about you? Do you have your card, flowers or candy bought for your sweetie? What are you waiting for?
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