Since its muddled origin, Valentine’s Day has been a celebration of love. Throughout history however, the roots of this holiday have remained unclear. The history of Valentine’s Day is as mysterious and dramatic as the emotion it celebrates can be. Over the years, as a single explanation of the beginnings of this holiday have remained elusive, the New York Times has attempted to present a case on more than one occasion. In 1853, it surrendered saying that Valentine’s Day is, “one of those mysterious historical or antiquarian problems which are doomed never to be solved.”
There are many theories as to how Valentine’s Day came to be, the most popular stemming from the Roman Empire and the ancient festival of Lupercalia. This festival took place from February 13 through February 15.Over the span of these three days, men sacrificed a dog and a goat and proceeded to – remember, this was a different time – whip the women with the hides of these animals. Believing it would make them more fertile, women lined up to receive these whippings. The festivities continued as men drew women’s names out of a hat and were paired with them for the remainder of the festival.
Lupercalia had a lewd reputation, but in the 5th century, as the Roman Empire became more influenced by Christianity, Pope Gelasius made it a Christian holiday, thus cleaning up the nature of the festival.
The theory goes that the Roman Emperor at the time, Emperor Claudius the Second used the 14 of February in two separate years of the third century to behead two men, both possessing the name Valentine. The day of their executions were deemed a holiday by the Catholic Church, celebrating not their deaths, but their martyrdom. Supposedly, the pope combined this and Lupercalia in effort to Christianize the festival.
Another version of this story claims that Valentine’s Day is a celebration of St. Valentine, whose saints day was February 14. This theory says that St. Valentine was arrested and beheaded after disregarding the Emperor’s order banning Roman soldiers from marrying.
Regardless of the theory, Valentine’s Day has evolved as centuries have passed. This pink and red themed holiday was romanticized by the work of William Shakespeare and other European authors, eventually spreading the romantic traditions on February 14th across Europe and into the New World. Today, Valentine’s Day has become much more commercialized and inclusive, extending to celebrate all relationships – romantic or otherwise. Helen Fisher, a physical anthropologist at Rutgers University says, “This is a day when one reflects on what you’ve got and what you don’t have.”
Regardless of one’s relationship status or bottom line, Valentine’s Day can be a day to show one’s love and appreciation for the important people in one’s life. Whether it be family or a co-worker, the love extends beyond romantic relationships. Junior Emma Tews celebrates with her family saying, “My parents always write me and my sisters sweet cards and give us each a big Hershey’s Kiss that we savor the rest of the month.”
Even among couples, Valentine’s Day is not always the stressful event that it has evolved to be. Some couples prefer to celebrate in simple ways. Seniors Caroline Sharis and Justin English prefer to keep things simple, straying from the usual anxiety that usually follows getting this holiday’s celebration just right. “Valentine’s Day isn’t that different,” Sharis says, “but we try to do something small for each other and go on a nicer date that weekend.”
One does not need to break the bank to show his or her love for one another. Despite the increasingly high expectations and commercialization, there is still a failsafe way for creating a heartfelt Valentine’s Day gift suitable for all relationships celebrated – without breaking the bank. On this “The Shield Shows You”, it is clear that even something as simple as a homemade cupcake can be enough to show how much one cares about his or her Valentine.
Baking adds a personal touch and shows people one’s willingness to spend time on them. It also provides a gift that is suitable for co-workers, friends, family, and romantic partners alike. In the spirit of a more personalized and economic Valentine’s Day, here are a few ideas to bake for that unique Valentine.
