Love is in the air during Valentine’s Day. With so many inspiring gestures about love during this annual festivity, sometimes, you just need to write a card to show someone that you care. It’s a day where people want to feel their connection with a special someone, whether it’s a lover, friend, or family. Many people love to send and receive cards during Valentine’s Day, which is a classic way to show someone that you think about them.
Even as a child in school, we’re taught about the importance of sending cards on Valentine’s Day. It has become a tradition that most people do, and you might wonder how it all started. To help enlighten you, we’re giving you the details on how exchanging cards on Valentine’s Day started.
Who Is Saint Valentine?
We often hear it in movies or TV shows, but what does it really mean when someone says, “Will you be my Valentine?”
There’s more to Valentine’s Day than meets the eye. Contrary to common knowledge, it’s more than just a tradition or a marketing strategy. There’s a rich history behind Valentine’s Day that revolves around love and sacrifice.
It dates back to as early as the third century in Rome. During the era of Emperor Claudius II, there was a terrible need for more men to join the army. The emperor found that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and children. He decided that it’s better for no one to marry. Because of that, he outlawed marriage and ordered to arrest anyone who resisted.
Seeing this as a great injustice, one Roman priest named Valentinus decided to marry young lovers secretly. When the emperor found out, he arrested Valentinus and sentenced him to death. He was buried in Rome, and Pope Julius I granted his sainthood, which earned him the title of St. Valentine.
As a much-respected saint during his time, a basilica was built over his grave to honor his deeds. Before he died, he sent a letter to a woman he had fallen in love with, who was the jailer’s daughter at that time. At the end of the handwritten letter, he signed, “Your Valentine.” That explains the meaning behind the popular phrase “Will you be my Valentine?”
When Did Valentine’s Day First Launch?
The inspiring story about St. Valentine became more popular even as centuries passed. However, the popular concept of exchanging cards truly launched in America in the early 1700s. Many people started exchanging handmade cards to greet their friends and family during the holiday. With the growing demand for cards, companies started to mass-produce them in the 1840s.
This prompted artists to create their own beautiful versions of holiday cards. One artist from Massachusetts named Esther A. Howland became famous for creating the most elaborate cards complete with real lace and ribbon. Her designs became a huge hit, and people started to call her the “mother of the Valentine.”
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day is not complete without writing out a heart-warming message to someone. It’s an extraordinary feeling to write about how much you love someone. Send your special someone a card during Valentine’s Day to make them feel loved and cared for. If you’re looking forward to receiving one yourself, take note that the best way to receive is to give.
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