Valentine’s Day can be an uncomfortable, tricky holiday if you’re without a dependable date or mate (and wish you had one. Totally OK if you don’t want that, too!). Perhaps knowing a bit more about the holiday’s varied history can give you some freedom and creativity with how you celebrate it—that is, if you acknowledge it at all.
Obscure History
Valentine’s Day can be traced back to ancient Rome, but it wasn’t always as we know it today. The early origins are still debated: It may have evolved from a pagan festival, as an attempt to honor one of three saints, or a combination of both. By the 18th century, friends and lovers commonly provided simple tokens or handwritten notes to each other to commemorate Valentine’s Day. Then, starting around 1830, comic, mean, and sassy communications became popular. These were eventually referred to as “vinegar Valentines.” (Who knew, right? Mean Valentine’s Day cards!) Then, with the origin of cheaper, mass printing around 1900, the holiday started evolving into what we know today—and what many have dubbed as a “Hallmark holiday.” (Click for full article)
