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====Early History====The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holiday, and most likely, multiple traditions were integrated as original records were lost. One of those traditions states that Valentines was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius II, who had decreed his soldiers would not marry. He may have tried to marry soldiers in secret, and when the emperor found out, he had him executed. The heart may have been a symbol of love between the pair, which could have become a love symbol.  Other scholars, however, dispute that an emperor would have ever done such an edict. Another story states Valentine tried to help Christians escape, and he was imprisoned after he was caught. He eventually may have fallen in love with his jailor's daughter, and he sent the first "valentine" to her. He may have greeted her by saying, "Your Valentine," which uses valentine as part of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine of Terni, a Christian bishop, was martyred in 273 during persecutions.  There is also a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman. On hearing his wife was dying, the soldier converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever, and then he subsequently died shortly after his wife's death.<ref>For more on the early saints associated with Valentine's Day, see: Sabuda, R. (1999). <i>Saint Valentine</i>. Aladdin. </ref>  ====Valentine's Day was a Feast Day====We do know that Saint Valentine's Day was a feast day that likely celebrated a Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE declared that February 14th would be the feast day associated with the saint. However, the motives for this and stories associated with Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some earlier influences on the tradition. We know that many early Christian traditions and feast days were often created to be similar to pagan festivals, as it helped early converts in transitioning to the new religion. Saint Valentine's Day may not have been different.  The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held on February 15th to honor fertility and dedicated to the Roman god Faunus. The celebration may have also focused on Rome's mythical founding by Romulus and Remus and how a she-wolf raised them. Goats would be sacrificed, and the blood from goats, along with the hide, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck in fertility. One legend stated that single women and men were sometimes paired in this celebration, and these matches often ended in marriage.

The story of Saint Valentine does have a direct link to one or several early saints called Valentine (Figure 1). Many traditions have developed around this holidayHowever, and most likely there were multiple traditions that were integrated as original records were lostsome authors dispute its association with love between people. One of those traditions state While it is possible that Valentines was a priest in Rome martyred for defying Claudius II, who had decreed his soldiers would not marry. He may have tried to marry soldiers in secret and when Pope Gelasius by the emperor found out he had him executed. The heart may have been a symbol end of love between the pair 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian and this could have become a love symbol. Other scholars, however, dispute that such an edict would have ever been done by an emperor. Another story states his declaration of Saint Valentine tried to help Christians escape and he was imprisoned after he was caught. He eventually may have fallen in love with his jailor's daughter and he sent the first "valentine" to her. He Day on February 14th may have greeted her been intended to replace the pre-Christian holiday by saying "Your Valentine" and this is where using valentine as part combing some of the Valentine Day greeting may have originated. Another idea is that Valentine ideas of Terni, who was Lupercalia with a Christian bishopsaint story, who was martyred in 273 during persecutions. There this is a legend that he married a young pagan soldier with a young Christian woman. On hearing his wife was dying, the soldier converted to Christianity so that he could be bounded with her forever and then he subsequently died shortly after his wife's deathalso uncertain.<ref>For more on how the early saints associated with Saint Valentine's Daytraditions may have evolved between pre-Christian and later Christian traditions, see: SabudaPogue, RC. (19991996). T<i>Saint Valentinereasury of celebrations</i>. AladdinKelowna, B.C.: Northstone, pg. 132</ref>

We do know ====Later Developments====[[File:Court of Love in Provence in the Fourteenth Century Manuscript of the National Library of Paris.png|thumbnail|left|Figure 2. Depiction of the Charter of the Court of Love that Saint may have influenced Valentine's Day was a feast day traditions. ]]In Saxon England, young men or boys would often give women their affections small gifts that likely celebrated a Christian saint and had developed when Pope Gelasius in the late 5th century CE declared included gloves. The fact that February 14th would be the feast day associated with the saint. However, the motives for this and stories associated with Saint Valentine suggest there may have been some earlier influences on the tradition. What we do know 's Day is that many early Christian traditions near spring and feast days were often created to be similar to pagan festivals, as foreshadowed could have made it helped early converts more festive in transitioning to the new religionassociation with love. In some regions, Saint Valentine's Day may have not been different. The Lupercalia celebrations were a festival held on February 15th in honor of fertility and dedicated began to the Roman god Faunus. The celebration may have also focused on the mythical founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and how they were raised by a she-wolf. Goats would be sacrificed and the blood from goats, along associated with spring since it was often the hide, would be dragged and slapped or sprinkled on crops and women. This would bring women and crops luck time people began to rework in fertility. One legend stated that their fields in this celebration, single women and men were sometimes paired and these matches often ended in marriagepreparing for the planting season. However, some authors dispute its association these events did not associate the day directly with love between people. While it is possible that Pope Gelasius by Although the end of the 5th century CE saw Lupercalia as un-Christian Roman and his declaration of other stories associated with Saint Valentine's Day on February 14th may could have been intended to replace connected the pre-Christian holiday by combing some of the ideas of Lupercalia day with a saint storylove, this is also uncertain.<ref>For more on how the Saint Valentine's other later traditions may have evolved between pre-Christian and later Christian traditions, see: Pogue, C. (1996). T<i>reasury of celebrations</i>. Kelowna, B.C.: Northstone, pgfurther added to this idea. 132</ref>

[[File:Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author, wrote that the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. In effect, it was a time of pairing and matches, and associations of this to humans may have begun around that time.<ref>For more on early Medieval traditions of Saint Valentine by Bassano's Day, see: Diehl, D.jpg|thumbnail|Saint Valentine as depcited by Bassano, & Donnelly, M. (2011). <i>Medieval celebrations: your guide to planning and hosting spectacular feasts, parties, weddings, and renaissance fairs</i> (2nd ed). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.]]</ref>

In Saxon England1400, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of the Court of Love </i>, which was a charter where on February 14th, young men or boys contests would often give women of be held related to love songs and poetry readings about love (Figure 2). While this story's accuracy is not certain, what we do know is by the 15th-century, people did begin to wish their affections small gifts that included glovesbeloved Valentine's greetings. The fact that Saint developments around this time have done chivalrous acts between maidens and single men and Valentine's Day is near spring and foreshadowed it could have made it more festive . The Duke of Orléans, who was captured in association with lovebattle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine. In some regionsEngland, Saint Valentine's Day also began to be associated with spring since it was often the time people began to rework in their fields in preparing gifts of sweets for children. During the planting season. HoweverMedieval period, these events did not associate young people put the day directly with love. Although names of the Roman and other stories associated with Saint Valentine could have connected the day with loveperson they wanted to marry on their sleeves, other later traditions may have further added which has come to this idea. Geoffrey Chaucer, the famous early English author, wrote that us in the time was associated with birds beginning to pair themselves. In effect, it was a time expression of pairing and matches and associations of this to humans may have begun around that time.<ref>For more putting your heart on early Medieval traditions of Saint Valentine's Day, see: Diehl, D., & Donnelly, M. (2011). <i>Medieval celebrations: your guide to planning and hosting spectacular feasts, parties, weddings, and renaissance fairs</i> (2nd ed). Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Bookssleeve.</ref>

In 1400, Charles VI of France commissioned <i>Charter of the Court of Love </i>, which was a charter where on February 14th contests would be held related to love songs and poetry readings about love (Figure 2). While the accuracy of the story of this are not certain, what we do know is by the 15th century people did begin to wish their beloved valentine greetings. The developments around this time made have made chivalrous acts between maidens and single men and Valentine's Day associated. The Duke of Orléans, who was captured in battle against the English, wished his wife a sweet valentine. In England, Valentine's Day also began to be associated with gifts of sweets for children. It was during the Medieval period that young people put the names of the person they wanted to marry on their sleeves, which has come to us in the expression of putting your heart on your sleeve. In the 15th century, cards may have begun to be created with notes of affection, although they did not become popular until much later. By 1600, Shakespear's Hamlet has Ophelia discuss her love for Hamlet in association with Valentine's Day.<ref>For more on late Medieval traditions and the growing popularity of Valentine's Day then, see: Skarmeas, N. J., & Venturi-Pickett, S. (1999). <i>The Story of Valentine’s Day</i>. Nashville, Tenn.: Candy Cane Press.</ref>

By the 17th centuriescentury, Valentine's day began to be became popular among friends and lovers among of different classes. At this point, people began to exchange tokens of affection and notes with each other expressing their feelings. Charles II of Sweden in the 18th century began to associate affection with flowers , and it was possibly at this time that flowers were used with Valentine's Day. The single rose at this time may have come to symbolize romantic love.<ref>For more on Charles II of Sweden, see: Moore, K. (2011). <i>Roses Are Red ...: a Book for Lovers</i>. London, UK: Michael O’Mara.

[[File:Court ====Modern Celebrations====Modern Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th century. Esther A. Howland, in the 1840s, began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures. This time, women began to be more strongly associated with Valentine's Day than men, where marketing began to focus more on them. Today, they constitute about 85% of Love in Provence in Valentine's Day sales.  Around 1900, Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe and began to replace letters and notes that lovers would exchange. Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the Fourteenth Century Manuscript women of affection would have to find, which may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection. The British chocolate company of Cadbury began to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the National Library 1860s, and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day.<ref>For more on how modern Valentine's day traditions started, see: Lee, R. W. (1984). History of Parisvalentines.png|thumbnail|Figure 2Wellesley Hills, Mass. Depiction : Lee Publications.</ref>  In the modern world, China and South Korea have taken the mantel of spending the Charter most on Valentine's Day. In other countries outside of the Court West, many of Love that may them had feasts or festivals associated with love. These customs have influenced often been replaced or sometimes integrated with Western Valentine's Day traditions, such as sending chocolates and flowers to a beloved. ]]

Modern ====Summary====Valentine's Day has been strongly influenced by American traditions that first derived from the mid-19th centuryis still an uncertain holiday in terms of its origins. Esther A. Howland Many stories exist around it, and there might be some truth in each of the 1840s began selling cards and gifts that contained real lace, ribbons and colorful picturesstories. It was The influence of pre-Christian traditions is also this time possible and likely given many ancient feasts that women began to be more strongly associated with Valentine's Day relative to men, where marketing began to focus more on them and today they constitute about 85% of Valentine's Day sales. It was revolved around 1900 that Valentine cards were popularly produced throughout Europe fertility and began to replace letters and notes that lovers would exchangelove. Valentine cards often contained secret compartments that the women of affection would have to find, which The modern date may have contained additional messages or gifts of affection. The British chocolate company of Cadbury began been a Christian way to create decorated boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day in syncretize these ideas with the 1860s and that has since made chocolates another association with Valentine's Day.<ref>For more on how modern Valentine's day traditions started, see: Lee, R. W. (1984). A history of valentines. Wellesley Hills, Mass.: Lee PublicationsChristian faith.</ref>

In Whatever the modern worldcase might be, it is China and South Korean that have taken the mantel of spending the most on Valentine's Day. In other countries outside of the West, many of them had feasts or festivals later developments such as flowers associated with love. These customs have often been replaced or sometimes integrated along with Western Valentine's Day traditions such as sending and chocolates and flowers present to a beloveddeveloped more clearly in the modern era. For instance, in WalesBy the 19th century, St. Dwynwen's Day was the day to celebrate lovers. This falls on January 25th. Aspects commercialization of this tradition are sometimes combined with February 14th in Wales or people simply celebrate the Welsh holiday with Western style Valentine's Day celebrations.<ref>For more on how Valentine's Day is celebrated around had already become evident in the world today, see: Williams, V. (2017). <i>Celebrating life customs around United States with the world: from baby showers to funerals</i>. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIOdevelopment of cards and decorative products.</ref>

==Summary==References====Valentine's Day is still an uncertain holiday in terms of its origins. Many stories exist around it and there might be some truth in each of the stories. The influence of pre-Christian traditions are also possible, and likely given many ancient feasts existed that revolved around fertility and love. The modern date may have been a Christian way to syncretize these ideas with the Christian faith. Whatever the case might be, later developments such as flowers associated with love and chocolates as presents to a beloved developed more clearly in the modern era. By the 19th century, commercialization of Valentine's Day had already become evident in the United States with the development of cards and decorative products.<references/>