Hearts, Flowers, and Valentines

February 11, 2002

All You Need Is Love
The symbols associated with Valentine's Day — hearts, poems, chocolates, and flowers — are easily recognizable to children and adults alike. While Valentine's Day has retained some of its historical traditions, new customs have helped shape it into one of our most romantic holidays. What are the legends and traditions behind Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day traces its roots back to Roman and Christian traditions. The ancient Romans honored Juno (the Queen of gods and goddesses as well as the goddess of women and marriage) on February 14 and celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia on the 15th. The feast marked a young man's rite of passage. The young men would draw names of young girls who would then become their companions for the year.

In the 3rd century, Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men (as he needed them to serve fearlessly in the army without the distraction of a wife or girlfriend). Valentine, a priest serving near Rome, recognized the injustice of this decree and performed marriages in secret. He was caught and imprisoned. While in prison, so the story goes, he may have fallen in love with the daughter of his jailor, and wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine." He was beheaded on February 14, around 270 A.D., and Pope Gelasius declared St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D.

The History Channel exhibit "The History of Valentine's Day" details both the Roman and Christian aspects of the Valentine's Day story.

The article "Valentine's Day—Just how did it come about?" also presents the ancient rituals related to the holiday.

Myths and Legends
Two important players in a famous love drama are Venus (Aphrodite), the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and her son, Cupid (Eros), the Roman god of love.

Jealous of the beauty of a mortal girl, Psyche, Venus sends Cupid to use his mischievous ways in order to make Psyche fall in love with a "low, mean, unworthy being." Cupid, of wing and arrow fame (victims struck by his arrows fall in love with the first person they see), follows his mother's orders, but upon seeing Psyche's face while she is sleeping, accidentally wounds himself with one of his arrows.

What happens to Cupid? And what of Psyche when she awakes? Does Venus stay jealous and angry? Read "Cupid and Psyche" on the Bulfinch's Mythology site for all the answers.

Heartfelt Emotions
How did the heart become linked with emotion? In China, the heart is related to thought, life, and emotions. It brings together everything from understanding and recognition to the flow of emotions. The Romans thought the heart contained the soul. Before them, ancient Egyptians believed the heart to be the center of emotions — and intellect. And before them all... pictures on cave walls depicted animals with red hearts in the center of their bodies — evidence that even cave dwellers understood the heart's significance.

Where did the heart symbol come from? Find out in this article from Symbols.com.

What's Love Got to Do with It?
Valentine's Day is big business. Consumers will spend an average of $77.43 on Valentine's Day gifts this year. E-commerce retailers expect to rack up about $650 million in sales of food, candy, flowers, and other Valentine's Day gifts. Of that amount about $350 million will be for gifts and flowers and another $45 million will be spent on food (including chocolate) and wine.

Thinking of sending an e-card to your Valentine? In this story from The New York Times, "Vintage cards to set the heart aflutter," a writer mourns the loss of the simple (non-electronic) gestures of yesteryear.

Valentine's Day Trivia
Pure poetry: The oldest known Valentine was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, from his prison cell. It is on display at the British Museum.

Puppy love: About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.

Sealed with a kiss: Valentines are thought to be the first greeting cards ever sent; the paper valentine dates from the 16th century. Today, about 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent each year. The holiday ranks second (after Christmas) for the number of cards sent. According to the latest US Census data (which is from 2000), Americans spend about $277 million on cards each year.

Yummy: The average American ate 25 pounds of chocolate in the year 2000. According to US Census data, a good amount of that was eaten on Valentine's Day.

Conversation Hearts: In 1866, candy manufacturer NECCO made the first "Conversation Hearts" — then called "Motto Hearts." According to NECCO, eight billion of these little candies are sold between January 1 and February 14.

I'm from Valentine: There are two places in the United States named "Valentine." In 2000, Valentine, Nebraska had 2,820 residents and Valentine, Texas had just 187. The official Valentine e-card from Valentine, Nebraska is shown below. To send this e-card, visit Heartcity.net.

The Empire State Building in New York City played a prominent role in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Every year, a selected group of couples gets married on the building's 80th floor. To be selected to get married there on Valentine's Day, you have to write an original essay explaining why you want to have your wedding in the Empire State Building.

Couples on the observation deck afterwards may find their lips crackling with electricity as they kiss. This is because of the huge static electricity build-up that tends to occur near the top of the building.

Why does love "make people feel funny"? Find out in this article from ABC News, "The Science of Love."

If you're feeling funny, it might be time to send a Valentine. Compose your own virtual Valentine by choosing a picture, a poem, music, a background, and adding a personal message.

If you're stuck for ideas, you can always depend on the ultimate love poet, Shakespeare. Try "Shall I Compare Thee," the definitive love sonnet.

A very happy Valentine's Day to you from everyone at Riverdeep!


		Love that Chocolate Read all about this wonderful stuff in this Riverdeep archive article.