Love is the most significant thing in human’s life. The Valentine’s Day is to celebrate love which is is a set of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs with strong feelings of affection. So, for example, a person might say he or she loves his or her dog, loves freedom, or loves God. The concept of love may become an unimaginable thing and also it may happen to each person in a particular way for which people celebrates Valentine’s Day with zeal and passion.
It has a variety of feelings, emotions and attitudes. Oedipus at Colonus, ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles wrote, “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love” and who better to ascertain it than all the couples who are eagerly waiting for Valentine’s Day and have a unique date idea or a list of activities planned to spend a romantic day with their partner.
Valentine’s Day: Day of love
Each year, Valentine’s Day happens to be a good opportunity or excuse to confess your feelings to your crush or romantic partner and whisper sweet nothings in your own intimate way.
The Valentine’s Week starts with the Rose Day, followed by Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day and finally Valentine’s Day. Here’s all you need to know about the date, history, significance and some interesting facts about the season of Cupid and the much-awaited romantic celebration of love.
History of Valentine’s Day:
Valentine’s Day is all about love, and Cupid is known as the angel of love. According to Roman mythology, Cupid is the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. The bow and arrow of Cupid depicts piercing a heart and casting the spell of love.
The first commercial valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s. Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birds also became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love.
The day is celebrated in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea.
The handwritten cards, chocolate hearts, and red roses are all staples of the annual tradition, recognized easily at any convenience store.
In the Philippines it is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are not uncommon on that date. The holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day.
In changing world:
Valentine’s Day traditions have evolved a lot over the years. In a tradition that’s also tied to the Middle Ages, South African women actually wear their hearts on their sleeves. Girls pin the names of their crushes on their shirtsleeves, sometimes revealing themselves as secret admirers to their sweethearts.
Today billions of dollars are spent on Valentine’s Day cards and gifts each year around the world.
Valentine’s Day in Asia:
In pre-Taliban years Koch-e-Gul-Faroushi in the down town Kabul used to be adorned with innovative flower arrangements to attract Valentine’s Day celebrating youth. In the Afghan tradition, love is often expressed through poetry. Some new generation budding poets like Ramin Mazhar, Mahtab Sahel are expressing themselves through poetry using Valentine’s Day expressing concerns on any likelihood of erosion of freedoms. In their political comment they defy fear by saying ‘I kiss you amid the Taliban’.
In India, in antiquity, there was a tradition of adoring Kamadeva, the lord of love; exemplificated by the erotic carvings in the Khajuraho Group of Monuments and by the writing of the Kamasutra.
Valentine’s Day celebrations did not catch on in India until around 1992. It was spread due to the programs in commercial TV channels, such as MTV, dedicated radio programs, and love letter competitions, in addition to an economical liberalization that allowed the explosion of the valentine card industry.
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