Valentine’s Day - For Better or Worse
As my wife and I strolled through the mall this past weekend, we stared in amazement as the overly stern-faced and frantic shoppers
rushed about. Had we time-warped to late November? Was there significance to the line at the jewelry counter? Why did it smell overwhelmingly of chocolate?
Oh, it’s nearly Valentine’s Day.
We had forgotten that the provisioning of goods is paramount to the survival of amorous relationships in today’s society. For us, a nice dinner with a few glasses of wine does the trick, but in general, Valentine’s Day is a tradition that promotes chocolate smiles and blooming buds over a heart-warming pattern of red and white. So who started this whole mess anyhow?
Leave it to the good folks of the History Channel to devote a complete minisite to this holiday. A few historical highlights:
· Rumor has it that Saint Valentine gained fame after performing marriages against the decree of Emperor Claudius II (which outlawed marriage for young men under the belief that it made for better soldiers);
· Valentine was put to death, and in 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers;
· In 1835, his remains (we think) were given to Father John Spratt, whose Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin still displays the black and gold casket every Valentine’s Day; and
· Now, approximately 180 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year to loved ones.
Like most holiday icons, I’m certain Saint Valentine would be horrified to see what we’ve made of his namesake. So off to the jewelry and flower shops we go, thankful for the fact that we won’t be put to death if the wrong bauble is selected. Ah, but the heart wants what the wallet gives….
Let’s keep the conversation love going.