February 14th is Valentine's Day. Also known as Saint Valentine's Day, it is now celebrated as a holiday for couples—a day of love, romance, flowers, chocolates, and cards. Lovers exchange candies, flowers, or other gifts. It has become a beloved holiday among young people in Western countries and is gaining popularity elsewhere.Regarding the origins of Valentine's Day, numerous legends have endured through the ages and continue to circulate today.
The Origin of Western Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, is a national holiday in some countries across Europe, America, and Oceania. Note that while the holiday has multiple origins, the most common account centers on the execution of Saint Valentine, a Roman Christian, who was later designated as the patron saint of lovers.
Legend One: In the 3rd century AD, Emperor Claudius II of the Roman Empire declared the annulment of all marriage vows in the capital city of Rome. This decision was made for military reasons, aiming to free more unencumbered men to serve on the battlefield.A priest named Valentine (Sanctus Valentinus) defied this decree by continuing to perform church weddings for young lovers. After being reported, Father Valentine was first flogged, then stoned, and finally hanged on February 14, 270 AD.Beginning in the 14th century, people started commemorating this date. Now known as Valentine's Day in Western countries, this day—translated into Chinese as "情人节" (Qīngrén Jié)—honors the priest who sacrificed his life for lovers.
Version Two: Legend holds that Valentine was among the earliest Christians, a time when professing faith carried grave danger and death. To shield fellow martyrs, Valentine was captured and imprisoned. There, he miraculously restored sight to the jailer's blind daughter. Upon hearing of this miracle, the tyrant grew fearful and ordered Valentine beheaded as a warning.Legend has it that on the morning of his execution, Valentine wrote a tender farewell letter to the jailer's daughter, signing it: "From your Valentine." That same day, the blind girl planted a red-flowering apricot tree at his grave to express her affection. This day was February 14th.From then on, Christianity designated February 14th as Valentine's Day. Version Three: In ancient Rome, February 14th was a festival honoring Juno. Juno was the queen of the Roman gods, revered by Romans as the goddess of women and marriage.The following day, February 15th, was known as Lupercalia, a festival honoring the other gods under Juno's domain. In ancient Rome, young men and women lived strictly segregated lives. However, during Lupercalia, young men could inscribe the name of a beloved maiden on a vase. Thus, during the festival, the young man could dance with his chosen maiden to celebrate.If the chosen maiden reciprocated his feelings, they would remain paired. Ultimately, they would fall in love and marry in church. Later generations thus designated February 14th each year as Valentine's Day.
Editor's note: Another theory suggests Western Valentine's Day originated from the ancient Roman Lupercalia Festival. Further details are omitted here.
Valentine's Day Customs
Celebration traditions varied across eras. The most distinctive customs emerged during Queen Victoria's reign in Britain (1837-1901): On February 14th, couples would transplant a spring branch bearing two budding blossoms into a specially crafted pot.The first letter of the plant's name had to match the first letter of one of the lovers' names. Days later, if both buds bloomed magnificently, side by side, it foretold the lovers would grow old together;if the buds bloomed separately, facing opposite directions, the lovers would part ways; if the flowers bloomed large and brilliant, it signified a future filled with children and family happiness; if one flower withered and died, one of the lovers faced the risk of an early demise.
In Buckinghamshire, a Valentine's night prayer custom was once popular: light a candle, insert two fine needles through it from base to wick, silently recite your beloved's name while praying for enduring love. When the flame reached the needle tips, it was said your beloved would knock at your door.Another Valentine's custom involved removing the left sock and wearing it on the right foot for seven consecutive nights leading up to the holiday, while repeatedly wishing: "May my beloved enter my dreams tonight." Legend held that Cupid would then cast a lucky crimson thread. Others would remove their socks and drape them around their necks to invoke love.
After the Victorian era, Valentine's Day customs gradually faded. In the 1920s and 1930s, with the rise of greeting cards, the holiday regained popularity. In some countries, Valentine's Day has evolved into a day for women to express affection to men. Consequently, March 14th became "Reciprocation Day," when men give gifts to women in return.Below, we explore Valentine's Day customs around the world.
United States: Men wishing female friends "Happy Valentine's Day" no longer implies romantic feelings, evolving into a public greeting. However, men rarely extend such greetings to other men in public.
Japan: Women give chocolate to men they like, and men reciprocate a month later on White Day (ホワイトデー, White Day) to express their feelings. This tradition originated from a marketing campaign launched by Japanese businesses in 1977. The Yomiuri Shimbun explained that white chocolate was designated as the gift to prevent stingy men from hoarding the chocolate given by their girlfriends and then returning it unopened as a gift.
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