Valentine’s Day began as St. Valentine’s Day, a celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. February 14 first became associated with romantic love during the High Middle Ages as the tradition of courtly love was then flourishing. During 18th century England, this day evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending Valentine cards.

The earliest description of February 14 as an annual celebration of love appears in the Charter of the Court of Love. The charter, allegedly issued by Charles VI of France at Mantes-la-Jolie in 1400, describes lavish festivities to be attended by several members of the royal court, including a feast, amorous song and poetry competitions, jousting and dancing. Amid these festivities, the attending ladies would hear and rule on disputes from lovers. No other record of the court exists, and none of those named in the charter were present at Mantes except Charles’s queen, Isabeau of Bavaria, who may well have imagined it all while waiting out a plague.

Since the Renaissance, we’ve been exchanging Valentine’s cards. These handmade missives of romance grew into a more commercial venture by the Victorian era. Today, school children exchange Valentine’s greetings, too. They prepare for the day by making unique boxes to receive their many hearts, cupids, and pun-filled rhymes.

Chocolates and candy have also become a part of the celebration. While couples tend to be the focus of the day, singles celebrate being single, too. Friends take each other out or reject the overall notion of Valentine’s Day. Dinner and a movie, candlelight, and flowers also fit the bill for couples. It’s one of the busiest days of the year for florists.

About 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, not including the millions of cards school children exchange. Valentine’s Day is a major source of economic activity, with total expenditures topping $18.2 billion.

Love and romance. Candy and flowers. Cards and gifts. Dinner and dancing. A day filled with love, romance and sweet gestures — the perfect opportunity to show affection towards those special people in your life.

Source: nationaldaycalendar.com