Blog#4

February 11, 2022

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching but most of us, especially in our generation, do not know what is the real truth behind the feast of saint valentine “The Valentine’s Day”. Valentine's Day is a holiday that's popularly observed as a day to celebrate LOVE, especially by those in romantic relationships. But in our generations we celebrate Valentine’s Day almost every day because we Filipinos love to show & express our love to our parents, partners and to everyone, celebrate love & feel love every day. But we fail to express it sometime. Valentine’s Day is traditionally observed by exchanging gifts or sending valentine’s cards with some quotes printed.

"Loved you yesterday, love your still, always have, always will." "Take my hand, take my whole life too, but I can't help falling in love with you." "Everything is clearer when you're in love." "Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet." And here we go… I know while you are reading this article you’re looking up to the dark origin of our valentine's feast day. Here the question;

What is the real truth behind or the dark side of Valentine's Day?

The truth about Valentine's Day is a bit mysterious. ... Valentine was, with one of the most popular theories being he was a priest who officiated the weddings of soldiers during the third century AD. The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14, 1400 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.

A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine — one of them, anyway. Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them. From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had Just slain.

The Roman romantics "were drunk. They were naked," says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.

The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right.

Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lenski adds, "It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. That didn't stop it from being a day of fertility and love."Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin's Day. Galatin meant "lover of women." That was likely confused with St. Valentine's Day at some point, in part because they sound alike.

William Shakespeare helped romanticize Valentine's Day in his work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe.

Shakespeare in Love, As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages.

Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. February has not been the same since then, Today, the holiday is big business in the market.

But that commercialization has spoiled the day for many. Helen Fisher, a sociologist at Rutgers University, says we have only ourselves to blame. "This isn't a command performance," she says. "If people didn't want to buy Hallmark cards, they would not be bought, and Hallmark would go out of business. "And so the celebration of Valentine's Day goes on, in varied ways. Many will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their beloved. Others will celebrate in a SAD (that's Single Awareness Day) way, dining alone and binging on self-gifted chocolates. A few may even be spending this day the same way the early Romans did. But let's not go there.

Why is Valentine's Day bad?

Valentine’s Day can also put outstanding pressure on relationships. The thought of not getting gifts that are expensive or meaningful enough overpower the true essence of a relationship. This holiday materializes and demeans the real meaning of love! ... It does not take money and a holiday to show someone you love them.

Is Valentine's Day just for couples?

Of course not. In our generation today Valentine’s Day is not only for the couple or people in a relationship. Valentine's Day is meant to celebrate anything and anyone you love and cherish. Take a second to think about who really matters to you. Think about who or what you appreciate most. It might be a boyfriend or girlfriend—but it can also be family members, friends, teachers, coaches, your dog, and don't forget yourself! As a wife, I’m not a materialistic wife, but a practical wife, I don’t like any expensive gifts. If someone asks me to choose one for the following: Roses & chocolates or 1 sack of rice? I choose 1 sack of rice of course hehe I'm a practical person. But if someone gives me some flowers I would accept it wholeheartedly. We can’t deny to ourselves that we felt happy and in love with the idea of experiencing the spirit of Valentine’s Day. Diba kinikilig tayo pag nakaka received tayo ng any gifts like flowers with chocolates Diba 😁. Pero pag di Tayo na bigyan ok lang din. Love yourself. Ikaw na mag bigay or mag treat for your self.

" Wag tayo umasa Ng d tayo masaktan sa huli."

What is an inspiring quote?

Believe you can and you're halfway there. When you have a dream, you've got to grab it and never let go. I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. No matter what you're going through, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Date Published: February 11, 2022