February is not only the second month of the year, it also hosts one of the most important dates of the year for people who are in love.

We’re talking, of course, about Valentine’s Day. Nowadays, it’s pretty common that you spend Valentine’s Day celebrating with your partner, confessing your secret love to your crush or even spending it with a bunch of friends.

Even though Valentine’s Day is supposed to celebrate couples, there’s people who also take the opportunity to give thanks for their friendships.

But when did this day really begin? What’s the story behind one of the most romantic days of the year?

How did it transform into the all-red, filled-with-roses event we know and love? In this article we’re going to explore the origin of Valentine’s Day and why is it really important to celebrate it currently.

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The real story behind Valentine’s Day

The story behind Valentine’s Day is almost like a legend, because the original version has been transformed many times until becoming the version we now all know and love to tell.

Turns out, this day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome around the 3rd Century.

During Saint Valentine’s times, many people were converting to Christianity. In spite of this, the emperor Claudius II was a pagan who decreeted many laws to reinforce romans’ devotion to their nation; including a law that prevented them from getting married.

In retaliation for this action, Saint Valentine began marrying soldiers in secret with the women they loved in Christian ceremonies; thus preserving the importance of love for all people.

For his actions, Saint Valentine was imprisoned. There, he took care of other prisoners including a blind girl whom, legend has it, he cured. Before being executed, on February 14th 270, he wrote a farewell letter to the girl signed “From your Valentine”.

How did Valentine’s Day become what it is now

200 years after these events, Christianity was well set into the Roman Empire. In order to reinforce Christian beliefs and get rid of paganism, the Pope proclaimed February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day.

It wasn’t until the middle ages that the poet Chaucer linked Valentine’s Day with love, and especially romantic love. In this time the trend caught on for people to proclame romantic feelings of love to other people, particularly in secret, signed as “Your Valentine”.

The custom spread all over Europe and soon people held events on this day where people read love poetry and played flirtatious games.

Over time people took more and more importance to this day and began celebrating it with their beloved ones, later on even spreading the day to a celebration of friendship.

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The symbols of Valentine’s Day

This tradition of sending love messages developed into one of the most known symbols all around the world: Valentine’s Day cards.

These types of cards are very elaborate

Because they’re supposed to represent just how much love a person feels for their significant other, and they can contain poems, sonnets, rhymes or simply a confession of the romantic feelings they have for others.

Other important symbols people have adopted in order to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a modern way are heart shaped balloons, Valentine’s Day stuffed animals, boxes of chocolates, red roses and bottles of wine.

Another cool fact about Valentine’s Day is that the heart shape we now know could possibly come from an ancient plant -which naturally has a heart shape- that was commonly used as a contraceptive.

How to celebrate Valentine’s Day

So you know the origins of Valentine’s Day and how it really developed into what you nowadays know and do. Maybe you’ve never had a typical Valentine’s Day and you’re wondering how to celebrate it properly with all its traditions and usual activities.

If you want to celebrate the perfect Valentine’s Day, you can start by buying your significant other a bouquet of red roses, a box of chocolates in a heart-shaped box, a heart shaped big and shiny balloon and an adorable Valentine’s teddy bear.

Your evening can continue with a romantic dinner either made by you at your place filled with candles or at a fancy restaurant where you two can open up a bottle of wine.

It’s always nice to share dessert while you talk about your relationship and say nice things to each other, and don’t forget that your night cannot end without a romantic card or letter signed by “Your Valentine”.

As you can see, Valentine’s Day has evolved greatly from the days that Saint Valentine used to believe so much in love he secretly married soldiers even though he risked his own life, to the days where you can innocently crack up a bottle of wine and whisper sweet nothings to your partner.

Don’t be afraid to celebrate this Valentine’s Day the classic way and dive into the spirit of love.

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There are many different ways to celebrate Valentine’s day, but the most important thing is to make sure that you and your significant other have a good time. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your Valentine’s Day celebration:

1. Start by buying your loved one a beautiful bouquet of red roses. Roses are always a sign of love and appreciation, and your loved one will appreciate the gesture.

2. Next, buy a box of chocolates in a heart-shaped box. This is always a classic way to show your love on Valentine’s day.

3. Another classic Valentine’s Day gift is a big, shiny balloon in the shape of a heart. This is sure to bring a smile to your loved one’s face.

4. Finally, don’t forget to buy an adorable Valentine’s teddy bear. This is the perfect way to finish off your gift-giving.

Once you have gotten all of your gifts, you can decide what to do for the evening. On Valentine’s day, most people go out on a romantic dinner with their significant other.

You can either cook a special meal at home or go out and eat at a nice place. Another way to celebrate is by going for a walk somewhere in nature. This will give you time to talk with one another in an intimate setting.

If for some reason, you cannot celebrate Valentine’s day together, there is nothing wrong with sending your loved one a bouquet of red roses or other gifts. It can be hard if you are away from each other so make sure to use technology to stay connected, like FaceTime or Skype.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, the most important thing is that you and your loved one have a good time. Happy Valentine’s day!

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How valentine's day is celebrated around the world?

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 every year in many countries.

The day celebrates love and affection toward others. It also honors St. Valentine, a priest in the Roman Catholic church who was martyred for marrying Christian couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II.

Valentine's Day history has many myths and legends. One story suggests that Valentine was imprisoned for helping persecuted Christians escape from Roman prisons.

He fell in love with the jailer's daughter and sent her a letter signed "From your Valentine" before he was executed.

The most common way to celebrate Valentine's Day is by exchanging cards, flowers, chocolates, and other gifts.

Many people also take advantage of the day to profess their love for one another. Restaurants and hotels are often busy on Valentine's Day as couples enjoy special meals or overnight stays.

In some countries, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, it is customary for women to give men chocolate on Valentine's Day.

The chocolate is usually given as a sign of appreciation and affection. In other countries, such as the United States, men often give women roses on Valentine's Day.

Despite the different customs around the world, the spirit of Valentine's Day is generally the same: to celebrate love and affection for those we care about.

Whether you are exchanging gifts with a loved one or just enjoying the day with friends, Valentine's Day is a great way to spread joy and happiness.