The
origin of this medieval holiday might just surprise you.
As February 14th draws
nearer, people all over the world are scrambling to choose a meaningful token
of their love and affection to give to their partner. Chocolates, jewellery,
flowers and a romantic meal are all common Valentine’s Day traditions, but why
is it that we exchange presents on this day in the first place?
The
ancient history of Valentine’s Day
The historical origins of Valentine’s
Day are fascinating, as this holiday is thought to incorporate both early
Christian and ancient Roman traditions. Interestingly, the Catholic Church
recognises three different saints all named Valentine, each of them young men
who were martyred for their faith.
With that said, the most commonly cited
is a third century Roman
saint. Little is known about his personal
life or the circumstances surrounding his martyrdom, but since his feast day was
declared by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, it has been
associated with courtly love, birds and flowers. Most scholars believe that this
was an attempt to recast the pagan fertility festival
of Lupercalia as a properly Christian holiday devoid of its heretic roots while still maintaining some of
its original meaning.
Early
cards and tokens
Valentine’s Day greetings have been
recorded as far back as the middle ages, but cards do not begin to appear in
the historical record until 1400. The oldest known Valentine in existence is a 1415
poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans,
now in the British Library’s collection.
The holiday rapidly picked up in
popularity by the mid 1700s – people across England, Europe (and the colonies
that would later become the U.S.) began to exchange small gifts and tokens of
love on February 14th. In 1840 a woman named Esther A. Howland changed Valentine’s Day forever by mass- producing printed
cards festooned with lace, hearts and ribbons.
By the early twentieth century, lower
postage rates made exchanging Valentine’s Day cards by post possible for the
average person, and more and more card companies got into the lucrative business
of all things February 14th. Today, this is a widely celebrated
holiday around the world that captures the hearts of lovers young and old.
Personalised
gifts of love and affection
From these humble historical origins
emerged the romantic annual holiday that we look forward to each year. The
cherished gifts of jewellery, chocolates and flowers are simply just the modern
day equivalents of medieval love poems and Esther Howland’s beautiful printed
cards.
One of the most important aspects of a
meaningful Valentine’s Day gift is the personal and intimate nature of the item
being given. Oh
So Cherished is a unique British
company that specialises in creating bespoke gifts that truly communicate just
how much you care for your partner.
From a wide array of lovely necklaces,
rings, earrings and bracelets to a breathtaking collection of stationery, books
and key rings, the thoughtful Valentine’s Day gifts available from Oh SoCherished will help you to celebrate this ancient holiday with style, love and
most importantly – with romance.
Image: Oh So Cherished 'Love You To Pieces' Necklace - £39.99
Contributed By: Jessica
Contributed By: Jessica
