Origin of Valentine day and Places to celebrate Valentine’s day

Introduction

Valentine’s day, as we all know, is usually celebrated on the fourteenth of February of every year. It is known as a day for celebrating love and doing things out of love. As we celebrate, it is good to know how the celebration of Valentine’s day came about.

Origin of Valentine’s Day

The origin of Valentine’s day has not been known as there have been a series of stories on how it originated. The day is named after a man known as Saint Valentine.

The first story says that Pope Gelasius I chose the day. This was done to replace the Ancient Roman festival Lupercalia. The celebration was for fertility. Men and women were matched during this celebration by picking names for a container.

The second story has it that 14th February in Ancient Greek was a day chosen to celebrate the celebration for the marriage of the god Zeus and the goddess Hera. Since it was a celebration of love, historians think this event birthed Valentine’s day.

The third story accounts for a certain king killing a certain priest, Valentine. He was killed because he refused to denounce his religion. In anger, the king ordered his execution. He was executed on 14th February. He died for the love of his religion.

So every 14th February, the priest was celebrated as others celebrate those they love.

The fourth story has it that a certain priest was killed because he violated the decree of a certain emperor. The Emperor commanded that the Roman soldiers and young men should not get married again. The Emperor made this decree because the surrounding countries threatened to conquer their territory.

For this reason, he ordered that more men be recruited into the army to strengthen the nation’s security. He felt that being married would make them too emotional. Also, they will lack concentration, hence, will be thinking about their wives.

Therefore, he forbade marriage at that time. The ban on marriage got the Romans flabbergasted. But they couldn’t protest.

Valentine was not pleased with this decree. Young men gave up on marriage, and young ladies became frustrated. Valentine decided to join young lovers in marriage secretly. He usually gives them a piece of paper craved in a love shape. This paper contains a message of God’s love towards man.

He continued for a long time until he was caught and arrested. While awaiting his trial, a prison keeper named Asterius asked Valentine to heal his blind daughter, and he did so. Emperor Claudius asked him to escape execution by accepting to worship the Roman god.

Instead of accepting the Roman gods, he tried to convert them. In annoyance, he ordered that Valentine should be killed. Before this, Valentine and Asterius’s daughter had developed a deep friendship. Before he was executed, he left a note: “From your Valentine“.

He was executed on 14th February. So all those that Valentine joined in matrimony began to remember the 14th February of all years. Valentine died for the love of his religion.

According to the Real Simple Article, Saint Valentine’s story set the groundwork for establishing the day as a holiday for romantic love.

What truly solidified the connection between Saint Valentine and love was a poem by medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381, which historians consider the origin of the “modern” celebration of Valentine’s Day, where we celebrate our romantic partnership with another person.

Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, the era of courtly love when broad, romantic statements of devotion—poems, songs, paintings—celebrated partnership.

By the end of the 15th century, the word “Valentine” was used to describe a lover in poems and songs of the day, and in the 18th century, a book called “The Young Man’s Valentine Writer” was published in England.

By the mid-19th century, mass-produced paper Valentine’s Cards were being created (though Valentine card ideas are still worth trying), and Valentine’s Day as we know it was born.

Misconception about Valentine’s day

According to Longman Dictionary, Misconception is an idea which is wrong or untrue but which people believe because they do not understand the subject properly.

There have been several misconceptions about valentine’s day. One of the misconceptions is that valentine’s day should be celebrated by lovers alone. This is not true because the main aim of Valentine’s is to celebrate love. It has no barrier. So it must be celebrated with everyone around us.

The second misconception is that valentine’s gift should be expensive. You don’t have to spend your one month’s salary on gifts, especially in the time we are. The important thing is that it is given out of love and is presentable.

The third misconception is that valentine’s day is for ladies alone. This is false. Everyone, whether male or female, should be celebrated during valentine’s day. Just as the men would spend on their women, women should surprise their men this year.

The poor, the needy and the less privileged should be celebrated.
The fourth misconception is that Valentine’s day is a day people should squander their money, drink and get drunk.

Lastly, some people think they can only show love to their partner on Valentine’s day. 14th February is just a day to remember St. Valentine and what he did. Every day should be a valentine in our marriages, relationships and families. It would be so bad to show love to people around us once in a year.

Key Takeaway

Although it is hard to find an authentic story, we should also note that all the stories have one central theme: love. This means that we should show love on Valentine’s day. Nowadays, people celebrate their lovers and those around them on Valentine’s day.

Do you have a more interesting story on the Origin of Valentine’s day? Please respond using the comment section below, and we will update the content and provide feedback if required.

Places to celebrate Valentines’ day

Valentine’s day is usually celebrated on the 14th of every February. It is a day that we remember the sacrifice that Saint Valentine made. We remember the gift of God’s son Jesus Christ who laid down his life for mankind. He gave us his unconditional and sacrificial love.

Valentine was a man like us: he has shown an example of what love is about. Valentine did not despise or look down on the soldiers. He took a risk by going against the Emperor’s wicked decree. The decree stated that young men should not be getting married again. In our daily lives, we should make sure that we show love to the people around us.

Places to celebrate Valentine’s day: Valentine’s day can be celebrated indoors or outdoors. In recent times, people have abused Valentine’s day. They go to the extreme. Ladies are raped, people get involved in accidents, and others drink and get drunk, all in the name of celebrating love.

There are so many places we can spend our Valentine’s day meaningfully.

1. Orphanage and Motherless babies home:

Orphanages and Motherless baby homes are places where abandoned children and those who have lost their parents live and are cared for. Living without parental love and care is not good at all.

These children may not have the necessary care and attention they would have had. As long as they are not living with their parents, care and attention is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary for us to surprise them on Valentine’s day by visiting them.

We should extend out the heart of love and kindness by giving food items like rice, beans, flour, spaghetti, garri, yam, semovita, Maggi, salt, palm oil, groundnut oil, vegetable oil, fish, stockfish, meat, tin tomatoes, eggs, plantain, among others. Fruits like star apple, mango, avocado pear, pawpaw, and banana.

Provisions like noodles, custards, golden morn, cornflakes and quaker oats. Beverages like milk, milo, and sugar. Toiletries include body cream, hair cream, toilet tissue, baby wipes, and sanitary towels. Disinfectants and antiseptics like hypo, izal, Dettol, and Mexican.

We can also give clothes and shoes to them. We can also give financial support to them.

2. Church:

Most people prefer to celebrate Valentine’s day by thanking God for laying down His life for us. Valentine’s day can be celebrated in the church by giving to the poor and needy in the church.

Asides that, the church usually organize educating and inspiring programs that talk about rekindling love in families and relationships. These programs can be for both singles and unmarried. During this time, broken marriage can be mended.

3. Beach:

A beach is a piece of land that separates a large body of water. It is usually cozy depending on the weather. A beach is a wonderful place for celebrating Valentine’s day especially the private ones. You can go there with your husband, wife, children, girlfriend, boyfriend, friends and even family members.

4. Restaurant or Eatery:

Valentine’s day can be spent in a restaurant or eatery. You can order for a special meal and eat it with someone you love. As we all know, there is love in sharing.

5. At Home:

Some people love having their Valentine’s day spent at home. You can take a break, have enough rest and eat well. Cook a special meal and For the married, one partner can decide to surprise the other partner with breakfast on bed.

Most importantly, have quality time with your spouse at home. At home, you can organise a party and invite your friends over.

6. Hospital:

Hospital is another place to visit during Valentine’s day. It is a place where sick people are treated. Some people are laying on the hospital bed because they have not been able to pay their bills. Some have not been able to buy their drugs.

It will be so good to put a smile on their faces by either paying part or all their bills and buy their drugs.

7. Neighbourhood:

In our neighbourhood, there are poor people who need help. In this season, we should celebrate Valentine with them by helping them.

8. Prison:

A prison is a well-secured place where people are kept and punished for the crime that they have committed. Criminals are kept in prisons while awaiting trials. Prisoner is considered as worst people in society because of the pain they have inflicted on others.

Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners; he never despises them. We should visit them and show them, love, by giving them clothes, motivational books, shoes, and food items like rice, beans, yam, spaghetti, etc.

9. The street:

Some children cannot be in orphanages or motherless baby homes. They are in the street. Their parents and caregivers abandoned them. They can be found in plazas, public primary and secondary schools, under bridges, flyovers and footbridges.

Visit them and make them feel loved and cared for. Cook a delicious meal and share it with them. Give them shoes, cloth, footwear (slippers and sandals), soap, detergent, towel, underwear, toothpaste, toothbrush, body cream, hair cream, etc.

10. Schools:

In your environment, there are schools (public primary and secondary schools) that need the government’s intervention, but they have not gotten it. Some pupils lack essential educational materials. You can celebrate this year’s valentine’s with them.

Buy exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers and share them with them. You can pay for a child’s school fees. You can donate educational materials like textbooks, desks, tables, chalk and lockers as a group.

Places we should not celebrate valentine’s day: There are places we should avoid while celebrating valentine’s day so as to avoid problems. One of such place is the forest.

No matter how close the forest is, do not go there. It will expose you to wild animals. Do not celebrate valentine’s in places where hoodlums stay because it might be very dangerous. If you are celebrating it outside, endeavour to return home in time. If you go to the beach, once it is dark, leave the beach as the wave will increase.