History and interesting facts about Valentine’s Day!
The 14th of February is coming up soon and you’re probably doing one of three things. One, you’re with someone and planning something special. Two, you’re single and ROCKING it. Or three, you don’t get why there’s so much hype around the holiday (besides the chocolate sales following). Interestingly enough, the history of Valentine’s day may be more worth the hype more than the holiday itself. Here are some cool facts about Valentine’s Day!
1. It begins with blood.
History.com explains that the holiday most likely has roots in the Roman holiday of Lupercalia
. During Lupercalia, “priests would sacrifice goats and dogs and use their blood-soaked hides to slap women on the streets, as a fertility blessing. According to legend, women would later put their names in an urn and be selected to be paired with a man for a year.” Romantic, am I right?
2. Got a sore throat?
Sweethearts, those little chalky candies with cute messages, just recently announced they will no longer be producing the Valentine’s Day staple. Which is totally a shame because they could have been useful in this cold season! Did you know that the candies actually started off as lozenges? “Pharmacist and inventor Oliver Chase created a machine that would quickly create the lozenges before switching to using the machine to create candy—later known as Necco Wafers.”
3. Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve.
When you meet someone, you tend to ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’, leaving you vulnerable but open to the rush of emotion. According to History.com: “The term “wearing your heart on your sleeve” may have origins in picking a valentine. Smithsonian reports that during the Middle Ages, men would draw the names of women who they would be coupled with for the upcoming year while attending a Roman festival honoring Juno. After choosing, the men wore the names on their sleeves to show their bond during the festivities.” It’s probably the better option to a tattoo…
4. Sealed with an X
You probably read this subtitle as “sealed with a kiss”. Makes sense! But how did ‘x’ come to mean ‘kiss’ in the first place? The use of “X” came to represent Christianity, or the cross, in the Middle Ages. During the same time, the symbol was used to sign off on documents. After marking with an X, the writer would often miss the mark as a sign of their oath. As the gesture grew among kings and commoners to certify books, letters, and paperwork, these records were described as having been “sealed with a kiss.”
5. Cupid the Greek God
The cute little baby with wings and a bow with arrows is actually a Greek god. Previously known as ‘Eros’, Cupid was still the god of love. He is the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite and he would use two sets of arrows—one for love and another for hate—to play with the emotions of his targets.
Valentine’s Day, despite its history, is a holiday that should be celebrated! Make sure to treat yourself by showing some love for Bellagena Spa! See you soon!
Credit
Editors, History.com. “Valentine’s Day Facts.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009
