Valentine's Day - February 2025 - What's Happening @ LWLC - Research Guides Homepage at Alabama State University

Valentine's Day - Basics

Valentine's Day, while not a public holiday, is recognized as a day to celebrate romance and romantic love. The day (February 14) was to honor Saint Valentine, an early Christian saint. The transition to a day honoring love was started by the medieval English writer Geoffrey Chaucer (author of the "Canterbury Tales"), when courtly love (nobility and chivalry between knights and ladies) was popular in both literature and life. By the 1700's, Valentine's Day had become a day lovers exchanged chocolates, flowers, and greeting cards (valentines). Traditional symbols are hearts, heart outlines, doves, and Cupid (ancient Greek god who causes people to fall in love when they are hit by his arrows). These activities and symbols spread throughout the English-speaking countries by 1900 and have since become common practices. Since then, Valentine's Day (or local equivalents celebrated on days different from February 14th) have developed in many different countries.

For more information, visit these websites:

Valentine's Day - Facts, Origin, Meaning & Videos (History.com)

Valentine's Day: Love, History, Traditions, and Gift Ideas (Wilstar.com)

Valentine's Day History (Infoplease - one of our freely accessible resources)

Valentine's Day is for Love (Holiday Insights)

Photo source: thefez.com