History of Valentine's DaY..

Every February, we can see that candies, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But do you know who is this mysterious saint and why do we have this celebration? All we know is that February has long been a month of romance.

I’ve read thru few articles about this celebration through the net and the stories were quite intriguing for me.

One legend said that Valentine was actually a priest whom defied against the emperor, Claudius II, for outlawing marriage. Valentine secretly performed marriages for young lovers and when Claudius discovered his defiance, Valentine was sent for death sentence. According to the legend, Valentine was the first one to send “valentine’” greetings when he fell in love with a young girl, believed to be the jailor’s daughter. Some believed that Valentine’s day is celebrated to honor Valentine’s death or burial. The stories mostly emphasize on Valentine’s heroic and romantic figure.

In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors.

Later, during the 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 February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes.

-Stories are taken from historychannel.com and edited by Fellie.